Voting in Washington
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Washington:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
- Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.
See Election administration in Washington for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Washington's 2024 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Washington, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the state, and at least 18 years of age.[1]
One may register to vote online, by mail, or in-person at a county elections department. Registration must be completed eight days in advance if done by mail or online. In-person registration is available through Election Day.[2][3]
In 2018, Washington lawmakers enacted legislation providing for same-day voter registration and automatic voter registration.[4]
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to Washington's 2024 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
Washington is an all-mail voting state. Individuals who prefer to vote in person rather than by mail may do so at local voting centers, which are open for 18 days prior to the election. The voting period ends at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your county elections department for more information on voting center locations and times.[5]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Washington is an all-mail voting state and does not require voters to present photo identification (ID). Voters may choose to vote in person at a local voting center. According to state law RCW 29A.40.160, “The county auditor shall require any person desiring to vote at a voting center to either sign a ballot declaration or provide identification.” Accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state ID cards, and student ID cards. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below.[6]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Washington State Legislature's voter ID regulations to ensure you have the most current information.
- Driver's license
- State identification card
- Student identification card
- Tribal identification card
- Employer identification card
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Since it is an all-mail voting state, Washington permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.[7]
Mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting and All-mail voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Washington's 2024 election cycle.
Washington conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Washington, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to eligible electors.
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
- See also: Voting rights for convicted felons
In Washington, people convicted of a felony have their voting rights "automatically restored as long as the person is not serving a sentence of total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections."[8][9]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony can not vote while they are incarcerated but automatically regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[10]
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Washington can contact the following state and federal agencies.
Washington Secretary of State, Elections Division
- P.O. Box 40229
- Olympia, Washington 98504-0229
- Telephone: 360-902-4180
- Email: elections@sos.wa.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Telephone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Noteworthy events
2018
On March 19, 2018, Governor Jay Inslee (D) signed into law HB 2595, a bill providing for automatic voter registration in Washington when eligible voters obtain driver's licenses or state identification cards. HB 2595 cleared the Washington House of Representatives on March 7, 2018, by a vote of 50 to 48. The bill cleared the Washington State Senate on March 6, 2018, by a vote of 27 to 21, with one member excused.[4]
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
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- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
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- The Ballot Bulletin: June 21, 2024
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- The Ballot Bulletin: June 7, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: May 31, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: May 24, 2024
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
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- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voter ID in Washington
- Election administration in Washington
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Washington
Elections in Washington
- Washington elections, 2024
- Washington elections, 2023
- Washington elections, 2022
- Washington elections, 2021
- Washington elections, 2020
- Washington elections, 2019
- Washington elections, 2018
- Washington elections, 2017
- Washington elections, 2016
- Washington elections, 2015
- Washington elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Voter Eligibility," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Voters," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Voter registration deadlines," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Hill, "Wash. gov signs universal voter registration law," March 20, 2018
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.40.160," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ On February 23, 2024, Delaware Superior Court judge Mark Conner ruled that early voting was unconstitutional in the state, saying that the laws were "inconsistent with our constitution and therefore cannot stand." On February 29, lawmakers introduced legislation, SB3, to restore in-person early voting. On February 27, Attorney General Kathy Jennings (D) announced that she would appeal the decision to the Delaware Supreme Court and said, "We will file our appeal quickly and intend to request a decision from the Delaware Supreme Court so that voters have final clarity in time for the September primaries." The Delaware Supreme Court heard arguments in the appeal in June and was expected to issue a decision before the scheduled early voting period for the 2024 general election.
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.08.520," accessed December 12, 2019
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Felony Convictions and Voting Rights," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
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