Civic engagement, or civic action, is individual or collective activity aimed at addressing issues of social and political concern. It is a way for individuals and communities to speak up for their rights and influence the policies made by elected officials. Civic engagement is a way of countering the institutional oppression and inequality perpetuated by under-representation of various groups and communities within government and institutions. You can use your voice to effect change. Types of Civic Action include:
"Voting is a first step in a long and complex process, tedious but vital. You can have a car with all the bells and whistles, but if it doesn’t have wheels, you can’t move forward."
- Stacey Abrams, "I Know Voting Feels Inadequate Right Now"
The dates of the general and midterm elections for the federal government are widely publicized. But there are many other elections happening throughout the year. Use the resources below to learn when elections in Washington will be happening - and make sure you mail in your ballot for every election.
Are you eligible to vote in the state of Washington? Do you know if you are registered to vote?
To vote in the 2024 General Election, the last day to register online in Washington is Monday, October 28th. The last day to register in person (for in-person voting) is Tuesday, November 5th, General Election Day. View more information about dates and deadlines for voter registration on the Secretary of State's website.
If you are a resident of Washington, your ballot will be mailed to your official address and can be returned at any ballot drop box for your county or in the mail, no stamp needed. If you are unable to vote by mail or register too late for your ballot to arrive, in-person services and accessible voting devices are available through your local elections office or voting center until election day, 8 p.m. More information can be found at the Secretary of State's website.
Register and/or Check your WA Voter Status
Ballots can be placed in the regular mail (no postage needed for King or Snohomish County), or in drop boxes for your county. Below, here is information about how to find the closest ballot drop box to you:
You can use your voice no matter your voting eligibility to effect change in your communities.
Contact local and regional legislators and officials to tell them what you think of law and policy that is being worked on. These officials are meant to represent you and are beholden to all people in the communities and districts they serve.
Below are resources for calling and writing your law and policy-makers:
Contact Your Representatives
Introduction
Voting access is not guaranteed to every resident in the United States. Some states engage in voter suppression efforts, such as requiring photo ID which turns away or intimidates people from voting. Other actions actively disenfranchise voters, such as preventing people with felony convictions from voting or denying voting access to transgender people whose documents have not been updated to reflect their name and gender.
Read more about voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement below.
The basic eligibility criteria to vote in federal elections in the United States are:
However, some states deny voter eligibility based on:
View more information about dates and deadlines for voter registration on the Secretary of State's website.
Voter suppression involves rules and policies such as redrawing boundaries of electoral districts (gerrymandering), reducing polling places, and Voter ID laws that create barriers and limit who is able to cast votes. Many states also restrict mail-in voting so that people who cannot afford to leave work, or who can be threatened and intimidated away from polling places, are unable to cast their ballots. Most often, these laws disproportionately impact Black Americans, Native Americans, and other marginalized groups. Read more at the links below:
Disfranchisement is the practice of revoking, depriving, burdening, or preventing an individual's right to voting. Some historical examples of voter disenfranchisement include: poll taxes, literacy tests, and property tests. Felony status is just one current example of voter disenfranchisement.
You do not lose the right to vote for a misdemeanor conviction or a conviction in juvenile court, only felonies. However, you may have your voting rights restored following a felony conviction.
Restoring Voting Rights in Washington State:
Protesting and direct action are other ways to use your voice to demand and effect change. Protesting and demonstrating can draw the attention of the general public, businesses, and elected officials, and are powerful tools for prompting policy change and raising awareness of injustice.
Some resources for how to protest safely and effectively:
Voter turnout varies from state to state and between federal and mid-term elections. Click here for Washington State Voter turnout statistics.
66.7% of eligible voters in the United States voted in the 2020 federal election, which is an increase from 60.1% in 2016. The highest voter turnout in a federal election was in 1876 with 82.6%.
The 2022 mid-term elections saw average voter turnout at 46.2% of eligible voters, while the 2018 mid-term elections saw 50% turnout. The last time voter turnout during mid-term elections was above 50% was in 1914 at 50.4%.
Statistics from: Voter Turnout Rates, 1789- 2020 FairVote.org and the US Elections Project.
Most decisions made about criminal justice, finances, access to education, affordable housing, and public utilities are made by local officials. These elections are situations where your vote has a more immediate impact on local policy, and they typically receive very little media attention.
Use the resources below to learn about the elected positions in Washington and the impacts that these positions have, and make sure you are registered to vote in those elections.
There are many elected positions in Washington state. Do you know what each position does? Check out the Washington State - Descriptions of Elected Offices to learn more!
What's On the Ballot?
Voter Registration Information
Take a look at the websites of these organizations that are working to increase access to voting and voter turnout. These websites also offer opportunities to get involved with canvassing, supporting candidates, registering people to vote, etc.
University of Washington Bothell & Cascadia College
Campus Library
Box 358550
18225 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011-8245
425-352-5340 (Voice & Relay)
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Land Acknowledgment: The University of Washington Bothell & Cascadia College Campus Library occupies Land that has been inhabited by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial. Specifically, this campus is located on Sammamish Land from which settler colonists forcibly removed Coast Salish Peoples to reservations in the mid-19th century. Today, descendants of the Sammamish are members of several Coast Salish communities.