Washington Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should visit the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Important Deadlines

• Voter Registration: Postmarked by the Monday four weeks before the election (by mail); the Monday one week before the election (in person)
• Absentee Ballot Application: No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least one month before the election
• Voted Absentee Ballot: Postmarked on or before Election Day

How to vote by absentee ballot

Register to vote:

There are three ways to register to vote:

1. Use the Washington Voter Registration Form.  Mail your completed forms to your County Auditor. 
2. If you have a Washington State driver's license, or a Washington State Identification card, you may register to vote online.
3. Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form. 

Verify your voter registration

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Apply for your absentee ballot

Good news!  Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in Washington.  (All voting in Washington State, except for Pierce County, is done by mail.)

You may request an absentee ballot as early as 90 days before an election. (No absentee ballots are issued on election day except to voters who are residents of health care facilities).

There is no official absentee ballot application, but we've created one that meets all legal requirements.  Download, print, fill out, and sign our Washington absentee ballot application. 

Once you've filled out your absentee ballot application, send it (in person, by mail, by fax, or via email) to your County Auditor.  They will mail it to you once they confirm that you're registered.

Receive, complete, and return your absentee ballot

The ballot itself is pretty straightforward.  Complete it, seal it in the envelope, and sign where indicated.  Mail your ballot back to your County Auditor.  Election officials in Washington State continue to count valid absentee ballots returned after an election as long as they are either postmarked by Election Day (if mailed), or signed and dated by Election Day (if hand-delivered).   If the Auditor's Office receives a ballot after Election Day that was not post-marked on or before Election Day, the votes on the ballot will not be counted.

 Frequently Asked Questions

Can I vote by mail as a first-time voter?

Yes.  Any Washington voter can vote by absentee ballot. 

Do I need to provide ID when I apply for my absentee ballot?

You do not need to provide ID if you have already voted in Washington at least once.  If you are voting for the first time in Washington and you did not provide adequate ID when you registered to vote, you need to include a copy of your ID with your absentee ballot application. 

Acceptable ID includes a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID card, student ID card, or tribal ID card OR a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other current government document that shows your name and address.  (If you have not met the identification requirements, you will be notified by mail that you need to provide identification.)

Can I vote by absentee ballot on a permanent basis?

Absolutely.  Register to vote using the Washington Voter Registration Form and indicate that your mailing address is different than your Washington residential address.  If you live in Pierce County - which is the only county which still has in-person voting - fill out section 9 and indicate that you would like to receive absentee ballots for all future elections. 

I won't be able to go to the polls on election day but don't want to vote by mail.  Can I vote in person before the election?

No, in-person early voting is not alowed in Washington.

Additional Information