Washington

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for Washington. A summary of Washington voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

Explore Washington Counties

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All 39 Washington counties (A–Z)

Voting in Washington

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Washington voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Washington’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

Online: by 8 days before Election Day.
By mail: must be received 8 days before Election Day.
In person: available through Election Day (same-day registration).
Register or check your registration (Washington on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

Washington uses a top-two primary: all candidates appear on one ballot, any voter can vote for any candidate, and the top two advance to the general election.

Voter ID

Washington asks voters to show an ID, and non-photo IDs are accepted. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, depending on state rules.

Early voting

Starts: Eighteen days before an election. Note: Washington conducts elections primarily by mail. Ends: 8 p.m. on day of election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

Washington conducts elections by mail: registered voters are automatically sent a ballot. You can still vote in person.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on Washington’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).