Register or update your record
Online and mail registrations and updates must be received by October 26. Eligible voters may register or update in person at a county elections office or voting center until 8 p.m. Election Day.
Official voter resources
Make your Washington voting plan
Washington's 18-day voting period begins October 16. Online and mail registrations must be received by October 26. In-person registration and voting remain available until 8 p.m. November 3.
First steps
Start with these three actions
Receive and vote your ballot
Washington votes by mail. Counties mail ballots by October 16, and accessible voting units are available at voting centers during the 18-day voting period.
Return your ballot on time
A mailed ballot must be postmarked no later than November 3. A ballot returned to an official drop box must be deposited by 8 p.m. November 3. The state recommends mailing more than a week before Election Day.
October 1618-day voting period begins
October 26online and mail registration deadline
November 3in-person registration deadline
8 p.m.drop boxes and voting centers close
Election timeline
Service and overseas ballots mailed
The official calendar sets this deadline for service and overseas ballots.
18-day voting period begins
Counties mail ballots, and accessible voting units become available at voting centers.
Online and mail registration deadline
New registrations and voter updates submitted online or by mail must be received by this date.
General Election Day
In-person registration and voter updates remain available until 8 p.m. Voting centers and official drop boxes close at 8 p.m. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.
Check the current rule: Sign the ballot return envelope. County election officials compare the signature with the voter registration record and contact the voter if there is a problem. Placing a ballot in a mailbox on Election Day does not guarantee a timely postmark, so use an official drop box if the postmark is uncertain.
3 certified statewide initiatives
The Secretary of State certified IL26-001, IL26-638, and IP26-645 for the November 3 general election. The descriptions below reproduce the Attorney General's official statement of subject and concise description in plain ASCII punctuation.
- Initiative Measure No. IL26-001This measure concerns parental rights relating to their children in public school. It would repeal amendments to a statute listing certain rights of parents and guardians of public-school children and re-enact the law as it was originally enacted by Initiative to the Legislature 2081.
- Initiative Measure No. IL26-638This measure concerns participation in athletics at K-12 schools. It would prohibit students it defines as "biologically male" from competing in certain school athletic activities intended for female students only. It would require verification of biological sex by students' healthcare providers.
- Initiative Measure No. IP26-645This measure concerns state and local taxes. It would repeal a 9.9% tax on annual individual income over $1,000,000; prohibit taxes measured by individual income and taxes on individual income or the receipt of individual income; and define "income."
5 statewide Supreme Court elections; 0 retention questions
Washington elects Supreme Court justices in nonpartisan candidate contests rather than retention votes. Positions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 are statewide on the 2026 ballot and appear in this guide's race list. Court of Appeals and Superior Court contests are limited by division, district, or county and are excluded.
Open the certified judicial candidate rosterUse Washington's official 2026 online voters' guide
VoteWA provides the voters' guide, ballot status, registration record, drop boxes, voting centers, and ballot information assigned to an address. Local ballot styles vary.
Open VoteWAOfficial voter links
2026 dates and deadlinesOfficial ballot mailing, registration, voting-period, and Election Day dates.Vote-by-mail FAQOfficial automatic-ballot, return, signature, ballot tracking, and voting-center guidance.Same-day registrationOfficial in-person registration and update deadline through 8 p.m. Election Day.Certified statewide measuresOfficial certification of the three initiatives placed on the November ballot.Proposed ballot measure informationOfficial title letters, full text, explanations, fiscal statements, and arguments for all three certified measures.Certified statewide judicial candidatesOfficial list of Supreme Court Positions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 and their ballot order.
Dates checked October 1, 2026. Confirm them at the linked official source.