Know Your Voting Rights

Voting is a fundamental right of citizenship, and a foundation of democracy. Washington state encourages every eligible person to register to vote and to participate in all elections. Washington is also committed to preventing discrimination and fraud related to voting. If you are eligible to vote in Washington, you need to know your voting rights and how to defend them if they are violated. 

Who Has The Right To Vote in Washington? 

All registered voters may vote in elections in Washington state. 

To be eligible for voter registration you must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. A 17-year-old who will be 18 by the November General Election can vote in the primary election and presidential primary election;
2. Be a United States citizen;
3. Be a resident of the state; and
4. Not be disqualified from voting. You are disqualified from voting if a court issued an order specifically declaring you ineligible to vote, if you have been convicted of a felony and are currently serving a sentence of total confinement under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections (for a Washington state felony conviction), or if you are currently incarcerated (for a federal or out-of-state felony conviction). You do not lose the right to vote for a misdemeanor conviction or a conviction in juvenile court.

Note: If you were convicted of a felony and finished your prison term, you are eligible to vote. However, you must re-register to vote. More information is available at the Secretary of State’s webpage: www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/felons-and-voting-rights.aspx.

Residence Requirements

You do not need to have a traditional residential address to register to vote. If you reside in a shelter, park, motor home, marina, or are experiencing homelessness, you can register vote. You can have your ballot mailed to a post office box, the address of a friend, relative, or a shelter, or general delivery at the local post office.

If you previously lived in Washington and are currently living outside of Washington, you may retain your Washington residence if you are:

• An employee in the civil or military service of the state or of the United States or a qualifying family member;
• Living overseas;
• Attending college or an institution of learning; or
• A member of the merchant marine, Public Health Service, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association on active duty.

Though you may remain registered to vote in Washington in these circumstances, you may only be registered to vote in one state.

How Do I Register to Vote?

If you are eligible to vote, you may register in person or by mail with your county auditor’s office, or use the online voter registration and ballot management portal at www.votewa.gov. A list of county auditors’ offices is available at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/viewauditors.aspx. Voter registration forms are available for printing at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/voter-registration/print-voter-registration-form.

In addition, you may register to vote through certain state agencies, including the Department of Licensing, and at institutions of higher learning. You will need a Washington State driver’s license, permit or identification card to register online.

It is important to keep your voter registration information up to date. If you move and do not update your address, you may be placed in “inactive status” as a voter. If you are placed on “inactive status,” you are still entitled to vote, but you will not be automatically mailed a ballot. You can update your voter registration online at www.votewa.gov or by submitting an updated voter registration form to your county auditor’s office.

In order to vote in a particular election, you must submit an online or mail registration at least eight days before the election. In person registration is available on election day until 8 p.m.

If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can sign up as a Future Voter with the Secretary of State and be automatically registered to vote when you become eligible. More information about the Future Voter Program is available at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/voter-eligibility-resources/future-voter-program.

Address Confidentiality Program

The state’s Address Confidentiality Program is a service available to select categories of voters who are victims of certain crimes, including domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, stalking, and targets for harassment. Certain criminal justice employees, protected health care workers, and election officials who are targets of threats or harassment as a result of their jobs can also utilize this program.

The Address Confidentiality Program allows participants to keep their address secret when new state and local public records are created. Participants designate the Secretary of State as their agent for purposes of receiving court documents and mail, including election-related mail, and provide the Address Confidentiality mailing address to a state or local agency in lieu of their physical address. The participant may also use the Secretary of State mailing address to receive mail. The Secretary of State then forwards first-class mail and court documents to the participant. The law also allows participants to register to vote and apply for a marriage license without the public disclosure of their address.

In order to participate, you must apply to the Secretary of State’s Office, and the Secretary of State’s Office must approve the application. Applications can also be made on behalf of children and persons subject to guardianship. If you believe you qualify to participate in the Address Confidentiality Program, contact the Secretary of State’s office at (800) 822-1065 or (360) 753-2972.

Your Voting Rights

You have the right to absolute secrecy of your vote.

No one may require you to disclose your political beliefs to vote. However, in order to vote in a presidential primary election, you may be required sign a declaration submitted by a political party.

You have the right to vote by mail. 

In Washington state elections, your ballot is mailed to you at least 18 days before each election. If you are a registered voter and do not receive your ballot, you should contact your county elections department or go to www.votewa.gov, where you can print a replacement ballot by entering your information and clicking on “My Ballot.” If you are in jail pending charges but otherwise retain the legal right to vote, you may request for a family member to bring your ballot to you.

There are three ways to return your ballot. You can:

1. Drop Box. Return your ballot to a designated ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your county elections department for a list of ballot drop box locations. You can find the contact information for county elections departments at this link: www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/voter-registration/county-elections-offices;
2. Mail. Return your ballot by mail, as long as it is postmarked no later than Election Day. Note that ballots may not be postmarked the same day they are mailed. Voters are encouraged to mail their ballots more than a week before Election Day if voting by mail;
3. In-Person. Return your ballot in person to your county elections department by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

You can sign up to receive ballot updates by text message at www.votewa.gov. You will receive a text message when you ballot is received and when it is accepted. You will also receive a text message if there are any issues that might prevent your ballot from being counted, such as if you forgot to sign it.

Obtaining Election Materials in Languages Other than English

Election materials are offered in multiple languages.

Washington counties covered by Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act, must provide election materials, including ballots and voters’ pamphlets, in certain languages besides English. As of 2025, King County must provide election materials in Chinese (including Taiwanese), Spanish, and Vietnamese, while Adams, Franklin and Yakima Counties must provide elections materials in Spanish. The Secretary of State lists the counties meeting Section 203 requirements at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/data-research/election-data-and-maps/language-access-voters.

The Secretary of State also provides a statewide voters’ pamphlet in multiple languages. You can view them here. In addition, voter registration forms are available in multiple languages online at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/voter-registration/print-voter-registration-form. If you would like to request the General Election Voters’ Pamphlet in a language other than English, you can contact the Office of the Secretary of State at (800) 448-4881 or voterspamphlet@sos.wa.gov.

Voters with Disabilities

You have the right to disability accommodations. 

Voters with disabilities have the option of voting in person at an Accessible Voting Unit. Accessible Voting Units are wheelchair-accessible, have headphones to allow voters with vision impairments to listen to the ballot, and have touch screens and other tools to allow voters to select candidates. They are also screened from others to maintain privacy. Each county has at least one Accessible Voting Unit at each voting center, which is available for the 18 days leading up to Election Day and until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters with disabilities also have the right to have the assistance of a person of their choosing when casting their ballots, although a voter’s employer or union representative may not serve as an assistant. For more information about the voting centers and Accessible Voting Units, contact your county election department. If you are concerned about a voting center’s accessibility, contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (800) 448-4881.

Military and Overseas Voters

You have the right to vote while you are serving in the military or living overseas. 

Both federal and state laws exist to help military and overseas voters get their ballots and return them in time to make sure those votes count. In Washington, all elections are conducted by mail, and ballots will automatically be sent to your mailing address, which can be anywhere in the world. Requests to change how you receive ballots should be sent to your county elections department. Military and overseas Washington voters can receive or return ballots by mail, email or fax.

Military and overseas voters are exempt from the regular voter registration deadlines. Instead, the last day to register and request a ballot is Election Day. To register, visit: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/military-and-overseas-voters.aspx. You should indicate on your voter registration that you serve in the Armed Forces or live overseas.

You have the right to challenge election systems that would dilute your vote. 

The Washington Voting Rights Act (2018) prohibits local election methods that impair the ability of members of a protected class to have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice because of dilution or abridgement of their rights. Voters and organizations representing voters may challenge their electoral process if it violates the law.

For example, the Sunnyside School District previously elected their school board through an at-large voting system. Empowering Latina Leaders & Action (ELLA) sued under the Washington Voting Rights Act, arguing that this system prevented Latino/a voters from electing candidates of their choice. In 2024, Sunnyside settled the case and agreed to switch to a by-district voting system.

Initiatives and Referendums

Your Right to Participate in Initiatives and Referendums

• Every Washingtonian has the right to participate in the democratic process, including organizing, canvassing, registering people to vote, and collecting signatures. Threats, intimidation, and violence have no place in the political process. The law protects Washington voters’ rights to participate in political activities. 
• Washington was one of the first states to adopt the initiative and referendum process, which provides voters the power to enact, change, or reject laws. Any registered voter can propose or sponsor an initiative or referendum. The sponsor must collect several hundred thousand signatures from registered votes for the measure to appear on the ballot or go to the Legislature.

Your Rights as a Signature-Gatherer

• Public Places. In public places like sidewalks and city parks, signature gatherers generally do not need a permit to collect signatures or distribute literature. Businesses and private property owners can restrict when and where signature gatherers can operate. 
• Your Paper is Protected. It is unlawful to destroy or attempt to destroy completed voter registration forms, signed ballot declarations, completed ballots, or signed petition sheets. These forms must be returned to the state or county elections office by the applicable deadline. 
• No Interference. People opposing a candidate, initiative, or referendum, can urge others not to sign a petition and provide literature, but you may not interfere or try to interfere with a voter’s right to sign a petition. This includes blocking people from approaching a signature gatherer or forcing yourself between people.

Your Right to Sign on to a Ballot Initiative 

• Sign or Don’t Sign. Every registered voter in Washington has the right to sign or not sign an initiative or referendum petition, or to vote for or against any state initiative or referendum. It is unlawful for anyone to attempt to interfere with your exercise of these rights. 
• Read the Petition. If you are approached by a signature gatherer, before deciding whether to sign you can ask to read the petition or proposal, which is usually written on the back of the petition. If you decide to sign, there is no practical way for you to remove your signature if you change your mind. 
• Only Sign Once. You also may not sign petitions with a name other than your own, and you may only sign a petition for a particular measure once. 
• Questions? If you believe your rights as a signature gatherer or as a voter have been violated, contact your local law enforcement and county prosecuting attorney’s office.

Learn more about your rights as a signature gatherer.

What to do if someone violates your rights

If someone attempts to deny you any of these rights, you may be experiencing voting discrimination. 

If you think you are experiencing voting discrimination: 

1. Notify the Secretary of State by calling the Elections Division of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is the chief election officer for all federal, state and local elections in Washington. Contact information for the Secretary of State is listed at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/contact-info. You can contact the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office at (360) 902- 4180 or (800) 448-4881, by email at elections@sos.wa.gov, mail to P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA 98504; in person at 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501; or online at https://www.sos.wa.gov/contact-us-webform.
2. Consult a lawyer. You always have the right to consult a lawyer to talk about your situation, including the possibility of pursuing a private lawsuit to address the discrimination. All lawyers licensed to practice in Washington State are included in the Washington State Bar Association’s Legal Directory, which can be searched from its homepage at www.wsba.org.

Additional resources for you to connect with and find an attorney are provided at www.wsba.org/for-the-public/find-legal-help.