Voter registration

Registering to vote is one of the critical first steps of engaging in the political process. That’s why we register thousands of voters each year on college campuses, in high school classrooms, and at festivals and community events across the state.

The facts

Almost 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote. And those folks are majority people of color, low-income communities, and young people. Our democracy works best when everyone participates. That’s why we’re working hard to make sure every young person and folks from historically disenfranchised communities are registered to vote to have their voice heard in our political process. We can make the difference.

Get registered

Have you moved since you last updated your registration? Just moved to Washington? Never been registered before? Are you at least 16 years old and a citizen? We got you. Click below to register to vote!

Register now

Talking the talk

We aim to break down barriers that prevent folks from deep civic engagement, and the language you speak shouldn’t be one of them. That’s why we aim to use translated materials in the field to do in-language voter registration whenever and wherever possible.

View our translated voter resource

Frequently asked questions

Am I eligible to vote?

All folks who can answer yes to each of these statements is eligible to vote!

  • I am a U.S. Citizen
  • I am at least 16 and will be at least 18 years old by or on Election Day
  • I will have lived in Washington for at least 30 days before the election
  • I am not presently denied my right to vote as a result of being under the authority of the Department of Corrections (DOC) for a felony conviction

    • If you were convicted of a felony in a Washington State court, your right to vote is restored automatically once you are no longer under the authority of DOC (in prison or on community custody). If you have questions about your status with DOC, call at (800) 430-9674.

    • If you were convicted of a felony in another state or in federal court, your right to vote is restored automatically as long as you are not currently incarcerated for that felony.

    • You do not lose the right to vote for a misdemeanor conviction or a conviction in juvenile court.

    • You do not need a certificate of discharge (COD) to have your voting rights restored.

When do I need to register to vote?

To register by mail or online, your application must be received no later than 8 days before Election Day. Register to vote in person during business hours and any time before 8:00pm on Election Day.

What information do I need to register to vote?
To complete your registration, you will need to provide your first and last legal name, date of birth, residential address and mailing address (if different), and your Washington State driver’s license, permit, or ID number OR the last 4 digits of your social security number.
Can I register to vote if I don’t have a permanent residence?
Absolutely! When you register to vote, under residential address just put the street, intersection, shelter, or other location that you stay most often. This will assign you to a voting precinct. Then, for mailing address you can put wherever you’re able to pick up mail – a shelter, a friend’s house, or if you’re in Seattle the following locations do not require you to preregister for mail service: Compass Housing Alliance-CSO, Ballard Food Bank, and Georgetown Food Bank (St. Vincent de Paul).
Can I vote if I have a felony conviction?
Yes! Your voting rights are restored if you can say yes to any of the following statements:

  • I was convicted of a felony in federal court and am no longer in prison
  • I was convicted of a felony in a state court outside of Washington and am no longer in prison
  • I was convicted of a felony in Washington and am no longer in prison or on community custody (under the authority of the Department of Corrections)
What do I do if my ballot never arrives?
Look for your ballot in the mail starting about two-three weeks before the voting deadline. If your ballot is lost or damaged, request a new one from your County Elections Department.
What happens to the information I input on registerinwa.org?
The Washington Bus does not sell personal information or data from registerinwa.org. Registerinwa.org is offered as a service to promote Washington’s Online Voter Registration option for voters. A volunteer may contact you (using the phone number you input on the registerinwa.org website) around election time to remind you to vote and see if you have any questions about the voting process (i.e. how to vote, when to vote, etc). See our full Privacy Policy for more information.