Voter Registration
Registering to vote in King County
Registration requirements
To register to vote in the state of Washington, you must be:
- A citizen of the United States
- A legal resident of Washington state
- At least 18 years old by election day
- Not presently denied your voting rights due to a felony conviction.
In the state of Washington, you do not have to register by political party or declare political party membership to vote in the state's regular primaries or general elections.
Registration form
Voter registration forms are available on-line in: [Adobe Acrobat files]
Choose your language:
Voter registration forms are also available at:
Registration deadlines
To be eligible to vote, you must be registered to vote at least 30 days in advance of an election. It is especially important to remember this deadline if you are registering to vote by mail. Your application must be postmarked by the 30-day cutoff or it will not become effective until after the election.
If you miss the 30-day deadline and are new to the state, you can still sign up in time for the election, but you must register in person at the King County Elections Office no later than 15 days before the election.
Have I registered in time for the next election?
| Date of Election |
30 day mail-in registration and address change deadline |
15-day registration deadline for new Washington residents only* |
General
November 4, 2008 |
October 4, 2008
(extended office hours 9 to 3 p.m.) |
October 20, 2008
(extended office hours on Oct. 18 from 9 to 3 p.m.) |
* New Washington residents must vote by absentee/mail ballot if they register in person.
Moving and/or changing your name within King County
If you are a current registered voter and have moved or changed your name, you need to notify our office.
If you have a name change, you can complete a voter registration form (external link), or you can write or FAX the following information:
- Prior registered name/new name
- Date of birth
- Voter registration number (if known)
- Residence address
- Mailing address (if different)
- Former signature/new signature
- Daytime and nighttime phone number
If you have moved from one address in King County to another address in King County, you can call us at 206-296-VOTE (8683) to report your new address, complete a
voter registration form (external link), or
write or FAX us the following information:
- Registered name
- Date of birth
- Voter registration number (if known)
- Prior address/new address
- Mailing address (if different)
- Signature
- Daytime and nighttime phone number
To be eligible to vote in your new precinct or under your new name, you must change your record no later than 30 days prior to the election.
Moving from one county to another within Washington State
If you have moved among counties within Washington, you must complete a voter registration form (external link). To be eligible to vote in your new precinct, you must change your Washington State registration no later than 30 days prior to the election.
Absentee voting
You may choose to mark the box on the voter registration form to request an ongoing absentee ballot. This means you are requesting to receive a ballot by mail for each election in which you are eligible to vote. If you choose not to receive an absentee ballot automatically, you must vote at the polls. If you decide at a later time you would like to receive a ballot by mail for an election, you may do so by written request to our office.
See Absentee Ballots for further information on becoming an ongoing absentee voter or to request a one-time absentee ballot.
Address confidentiality program
The Address Confidentiality Program assists crime victims (specifically victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking) who have relocated to avoid further abuse. It helps participants keep their home, work and/or school address secret by providing a substitute mailing address. It also allows clients to register to vote or apply for a marriage license without revealing their actual address.
To participate or learn more about the Address Confidentiality Program, please visit http://www.secstate.wa.gov/acp/ or call (800) 822-1065 (in Washington only).
Moving out of state
You must re-register to vote in your new state. Please help keep our voter rolls current and also print, complete, and mail a cancellation form to ensure your King County voter registration is canceled.
Registration cancellation
You will only be removed from the registration files if a cancellation card is signed by you or you register to vote in another state. Print and sign a cancellation form (PDF).
Report a deceased voter
If a voter is deceased, another registered voter may fill out a death card to cancel the registration. Print and sign a deceased voter cancellation form (PDF).
How to restore your voting rights
Under Washington State law, if you are convicted of a felony, you lose your right to vote. To restore that right, you must meet all sentencing obligations. You must:
- Pay all financial obligations, such as fines, court costs and restitution;
- Complete other requirements imposed, such as treatment and community service; and
- Finish your custody, including probation, community supervision and community custody.
The specific steps necessary to restore your right to vote depend on where and when you were convicted. For complete information, see How to Restore Your Voting Rights (PDF, 219 KB). or visit the Secretary of State's Web site at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/faq.aspx.
