Washington Election Center

• In Person: 8 days before Election Day.
• By Mail: 29 days before Election Day.
• Online: 29 days before Election Day.

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To register in Washington you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a legal resident of Washington State, your county and precinct for 30 days immediately preceding Election Day in which you want to vote
• be at least 18 years old by Election Day not be convicted of infamous crime, unless restored to civil rights

1. Use our Register to Vote Tool to fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
2. Sign and date your form. This is very important!
3. Mail or hand-deliver your completed form to the address we provide.
4. Make sure you register before the voter registration deadline.

Absentee ballot application deadline:

No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least one month before Election Day

Voted ballots are due:

Postmarked by Election Day

All Washington elections are held by mail. You may apply for an absentee ballot if you need your ballot mailed someplace other than your usual mailing address.

1. Use our Absentee Ballot Tool to prepare your application.
2. Sign and date the form. This is very important!
3. Return your completed application to your Local Election Office as soon as possible. We’ll provide the mailing address for you.
4. All Local Election Offices will accept mailed or hand-delivered forms. If it’s close to the deadline, call and see if your Local Election Office will let you fax or email the application.
5. Make sure your application is received by the deadline. Your application must actually arrive by this time — simply being postmarked by the deadline is insufficient.
6. Please contact your Local Election Office if you have any further questions about the exact process.

1. Once you receive the ballot, carefully read and follow the instructions.
2. Sign and date where indicated.
3. Mail your voted ballot back to the address indicated on the return envelope.
4. Your voted ballot must arrive by the deadline or it will not be counted.

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Photo ID required

All Washington counties now vote by mail. However, county auditors must open at least one vote center where voters can cast their ballot in person. Voters who wish to vote in person are the only voters subject to ID requirements.

Be sure to bring one of the following photo IDs:

• A Washington driver’s license or state ID card
• A student ID card
• A tribal ID card
• Employer ID card

If you don’t have a photo ID and want to vote in person, you’ll have to vote a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count if the signature on your ballot declaration matches the signature on your voter registration record.

Absentee voters do not need to provide ID in Washington state.