OLYMPIA — Ballots for the Nov. 2 General Election have been mailed to Washington voters, giving them several days to study the issues and candidates and return their ballots as soon as possible.
Voters have until 8 p.m. Nov. 2 to place their marked ballots in an official ballot drop box anywhere in the state. Drop-box locations can be found at VoteWA.gov, Washington’s online voter portal. Ballots may also be returned by U.S. mail – no postage required – but must be postmarked by Nov. 2 in order to be counted. The U.S. Postal Service recommends that ballots should be returned by mail one week before Election Day.
Registered voters who have yet to receive a ballot should contact their county elections office to request a replacement. Voters can also check their ballot status at VoteWA.gov.
“Your vote matters – especially this year, because many of the candidates and issues on your ballot are local and will have a greater impact on your everyday life,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman. “So if you’re eligible to vote and haven’t registered, do so today.”
To register to vote or update their registration, people can go online at VoteWA.gov, or print and mail a registration form (available in 23 languages). The deadline for county elections offices to receive registrations online or by mail is Monday, Oct. 25. After Oct. 25, people can visit a county elections office and register in person during regular business hours and until 8 p.m. the day of the election.
More election information is available at the Secretary of State’s Elections page, or by contacting a county elections office. Each office’s address, contact information, and hours of operation can be found at sos.wa.gov/elections/auditors.
Many of these offices, including the Office of the Secretary of State, are on social media posting timely and accurate election information. To stay on top of key dates and deadlines, follow the Office of the Secretary of State on Twitter (@secstatewa), Facebook (WaSecretaryOfState), and Instagram (@secstatewa).
“As Americans our right to vote is sacred, yet with that right comes responsibility,” said Lori Augino, elections director, Office of the Secretary of State. “It’s important for people to get their election information from trusted, verifiable sources. Follow #TrustedInfo, and contact your county election official or the Office of the Secretary of State if you have questions.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.