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Can I vote by mail in Washington?
Yes. Your ballot comes to you.
Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot automatically. Just make sure your registration and mailing address are current.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 26Today
Same-day registration is available in person.
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 271 day
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day, or in a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. Washington drop box locations.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. No statute or SOS page restricts who may return your sealed ballot; the law assumes others may (it is a gross misdemeanor for anyone to intentionally fail to deliver another person's voted ballot by the deadline). Drop boxes take any ballot until 8 p.m. Election Day; no per-person limit found. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 38 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Mon, Nov 23 · 28 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Sign and return the county's cure form (or show ID) by close of business on Nov. 23, the day before the county certifies. If you haven't answered five business days before the canvass, they call, text and email. Deadline: Mon, Nov 23 · 28 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Washington No stamp needed. Accessible voting centers open 18 days before Election Day.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Washington?
Will your ballot count in Washington?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Washington, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Tue, Nov 3. Locations and hours
Bring some ID. A utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck with your name and address usually works, and there's a fallback if you have none.
Accepted: At a voting center: either sign the ballot declaration (signature compared to registration record) or show valid photo ID such as driver's license, state ID card, student ID, tribal ID or employer ID Without one: Voter signs the ballot declaration; the signature is compared to the voter registration record before the ballot is counted. No provisional ballot or follow-up trip for lack of ID.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Washington cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Tue, Nov 24. Ballots postmarked by Election Day keep arriving; Washington reports new batches daily for two weeks.
Watching the numbers? Your state publishes a running count of mail ballots requested and returned: Washington's ballot return data
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.