Voting in Washington

Registering to vote

To register to vote in Washington, you need two things:

1: Your social security number OR your Washington State ID OR your Washington State Driver’s License

2: A mailing address

If you are currently homeless, many places you receive support are able to receive and hold mail for unhoused clients. One example is the Compass Center in Seattle.

It is often easiest to register to vote at the same time you register for a Washington State ID, Driver’s License (which you should do anyways: Getting a WA Drivers License / ID), or enrolls or renews in DSHS services like Food Stamps.

If you already have a WA state license or ID, you can register to vote online.

Otherwise, it’s easiest to register by mail. You can either print the form yourself or have one mailed to you.
You can also register in-person at a county elections office, but these are sparse.

Make sure your registration is submitted at least 8 days prior to the next election to get your ballot on time. More information about registering to vote in WA.

Voting

Washington votes by mail in every election. There are a few polling places if you want to vote or register in-person on election day, but they typically have long lines – it’s easiest to vote by mail. Remember to check both sides of the ballot and to sign the envelope.

Your ballot must be postmarked by election day – ballot drop boxes are open from when ballots are mailed out until 8pm on election night, or you can drop it in a regular mailbox anytime after receiving it, just be sure you do so before mail pickup on election day.
Find a ballot drop box: Seattle/King County - Statewide

Track your ballot

You should receive your ballot in the mail a few weeks before the election. If you haven’t received your ballot or want to track it after submitting it, you can track your ballot online.
If you’ve lost your ballot, you can request a new one or print one yourself:
Seattle/King County - Statewide

Figuring out who/what to vote for

New here? Don’t know local politics? Feel free to reach out to us and we can add you to our Discord where you can hear other local folks’ opinions.
If you’re in Seattle-ish or King County, local paper The Stranger publishes a decent voting guide with a leftist bent leading up to most elections.