How to check your voter registration and address using VoteWA.gov (with screenshots)

It’s always a good idea to check your registration at least a week before ballots are mailed out. This way, if your address is wrong, you can correct it before your ballot’s mailed to the wrong place. Not only that, it seems like every election a couple of our group members discover that they need to re-register for some reason.

This year ballots are getting mailed out in mid-October (perhaps a bit earlier in some counties). But why wait? You can check now!

Here’s how to check your registration and address

Start by going to VoteWa.gov, Washington state’s voter portal.

VoteWa.gov is a one-stop shop: you can register, update your address, request a new ballot if yours doesn’t show up, and find out what’s on your ballot. When you go there, you’ll see something like this.

Fill in your first name, last name, and date of birth, and click submit. If the system finds your information, check your registration status — it should be Active — and make sure your address is correct.

If your status is inactive, you’ll get instructions on what to do. If your name or address has changed (or is wrong), click on the “Update my name or address button.”

If the system doesn’t find your information, you’ll see something like this …

The first thing to do if this happens is double-check the information you entered. There might be a typo, or maybe you entered a variation on your name.

If you’re really not there, you can contact your County Elections Office — their contact information is available on the Secretary of State’s site. Or click on the “Register to Vote” button to go to the online voter registration system.

You can also register to vote by printing out a form and mailing it in. Online registration requires a current Washington State driver’s license, permit or ID card, but you don’t need these to register by mail.

Online and mail registrations must be received by October 26. Starting in mid-October there will also be in-person registration at voting centers until 5 p.m. on November 3. Still, it’s best to get it done as early as possible if you can.

So now’s a great time to double-check!