To register in Washington you must:
This guide can help you check to see if you're registered to vote in Washington, learn deadlines for registering to vote in our next election, and get you registered to vote in Washington!
If you’ve recently moved, turned 18, or changed your name, you may not be #VoteReady! Take this opportunity to update your voter registration at Washington's voter portal.
Why register in 2024, you may ask? Because between the House, the Senate and governor races across the country, voters have the opportunity to decide the fate of over 500 elected officials.
For more information about voting as a civic action and how voting in all elections impacts your daily lived experiences, please also visit the Informed Civic Engagement - Civic Action guide.
As a student, you probably change your address more frequently than the average voter. Remember to update your voter registration every time you move. You can update your address online, by mail or in person. It's important to understand the difference between your residential and mailing addresses, though, because we vote by mail in Washington State.
Residential address
Your residential address determines which candidates and measures will be on your ballot. This must be a Washington State address that you consider home. If you live on campus or in an apartment and provide that address as your residential address, be sure to list your apartment number. A PO Box is not a residential address.
Mailing address
Your mailing address is where your ballot will be mailed. It does not impact the ballot measures and candidates that will appear on your ballot. Your ballot can be sent to you anywhere in the world. For example, you may list your parents’ home as your residential address, but a PO Box as your mailing address. -Office of the Secretary of State of Washington