Voter Registration in Washington
Like many other U.S. states, Washington allows its driver's license and ID card applicants to register to vote at their local driver licensing office. In this way, the state's Department of Licensing (DOL) helps citizens more easily participate in the democratic process.
Aside from registering to vote with the DOL, you can register to vote with the Washington Secretary of State (SOS) online, in person, or by mail.
WA Voter Registration Eligibility
You must meet the following requirements to register to vote in Washington. You must be:
- A resident of Washington.
- A U.S. citizen.
- At least 18 years old when you vote.
- NOT disqualified due to a court order.
- NOT be incarcerated due to a felony conviction.*
*Voting rights are automatically restored when you are no longer incarcerated. For more information on community custody you can call the Department of Corrections at (800) 430-9674. You will need to re-register to vote after your rights have been restored.
You must have WA voting residency before Election Day. If you have non-traditional address such as transitional or RV, you can list the physical address you were using at the time you registered to vote. You can list a different address as your mailing address.
NOTE: Washington has many “seasonal residents" commonly referred to as “snowbirds." As a seasonal resident, you are eligible to vote (as long as you meet all other requirements). Refer to the state's section on seasonal residents for information on how to keep your seasonal mailing address current and maintain your voter eligibility.
Register to Vote in Washington
Registering to vote in Washington is a simple process and you have several options. You can register:
- Online.
- By mail.
- In person.
NOTE: Washington residents vote by mail. To receive your ballot, you must be registered to vote and be sure that your address is correct. If you want to vote in person, contact your county elections department BEFORE you complete your voter registration.
Online Voter Registration
To register to vote online, you must have:
- A valid, unexpired Washington driver's license.
- If you don't yet have a WA license, see our page Applying for a New License in Washington.
- A valid, unexpired Washington ID card. See our page, Identification Cards in Washington for more information.
Simply complete the registration process on the Secretary of State MyVote website. You will just need to answer a few qualifying questions and provide some information about yourself.
Find all the information you need to finish your moving requirements with the DMV.
Register In Person or By Mail
You can register to vote in person at the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL).
Alternatively, you can:
- Print or get a copy of the Washington State Voter Registration Form.
- The form is also available from your county election office.
- Submit the form to your county election department by mail or in person.
WA Voter Registration Deadlines
Voter registration deadlines are:
- Received by the elections office no later than 8 days before Election Day.
- Election day itself, if you are on military duty outside of Washington or if you live overseas.
Military & Overseas Voter Registration
If you are serving in the military, are a military spouse or dependent, or you are a U.S. citizen who lives overseas, you can register to vote:
- On the Secretary of State MyVote website.
- You MUST have a valid Washington state driver's license or ID card.
- By mailing the Washington State Voter Registration Form to your home county's elections department.
- By completing an Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Federal Post Card Application (Form 76).
- You can download, print, and complete this application and mail it to your county's elections department.
- This form acts as both a voter registration application and an absentee ballot application.
Be sure that you:
- Indicate on your form that you are in the military, if applicable.
- Use your last Washington county of residence when registering.
Your ballot will be mailed to you and you may be eligible to vote up to 90 days before an election.
You can register and request a ballot up to and including election day.
Absentee Registration & Voting
Absentee voters – including voters away at college – can register to vote online or by mail. Refer to Register to Vote in Washington above for instructions.
Once you're registered, complete the state's Special Absentee Ballot Application to request your absentee ballot and mail it to your county elections department. Once received and approved, you'll be sent a regularly issued voter ballot.
Note that:
- You cannot mail the application more than 90 days before the election.
- Your voter ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day.
Update Your Registration Address
If you move, it is important that you update your voter registration before you attempt to vote.
- If you are moving to a new county you will need to re-register using one of the methods explained in Register to Vote in Washington, above.
- If you are moving within the same county, you can either re-register to vote or just contact your county elections office.