If your ballot is still sitting in that pile of mail, it’s time to sit down and vote. Ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3rd. If you have decided to take your ballot to a ballot drop box, you have until 8 pm on Election Day to drop it. We know there is a lot of misinformation out there on when, where, and how to vote so please take a moment to review the following information:

How to Return A Ballot in Washington

There are two ways to return a ballot in Washington: via mail-in or ballot drop box. Each voter can choose the best method for them, but all ballots need to be sealed inside the provided security envelope and placed inside the signed return envelope.

By Mail

If a voter chooses to mail in their ballot, no postage is required. It will need to be placed in an outgoing mailbox in time to be picked up by a mail carrier and postmarked by Election Day.

Ballot Drop Box

Every county has ballot drop boxes located at convenient locations. Ballot drop boxes are a great way to ensure that voters do not have to rely on the postal service to deliver their ballot. Boxes are emptied regularly and remain open until 8 pm on election day.

To find ballot drop box locations in their county, voters can visit sos.wa.gov/elections/auditors to find their county Auditor’s web page.

Tracking Your Ballot

After a ballot has been returned via USPS or ballot drop box, voters can track their ballot status at votewa.gov by entering their full name and birth date. The site allows voters to check their registration status, voting history, find a list of their elected officials, and more. For additional information on voting in Washington state, visit the Secretary of State’s Voters page.

Registering to Vote

Voters can register to vote in person on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to plan to allow for plenty of time to register and fill out their ballot. To find out where each county elections department is located, visit the Washington Secretary of State’s website.