Ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election should be arriving soon, and King County Elections has released some guidance on voting.

Officials are expecting 90% voter turnout, and are predicting that almost 500,000 ballots will be returned to drop boxes on Election Day alone.

“Avoid the traffic and congestion, vote early!”

Key Dates:

    • October 14 – Ballots mailed
    • October 15 – Drop boxes open
    • October 19 – Voters should have their ballot in hand by the 10/19 mail delivery
    • October 26 – Deadline for online and mail voter registration
    • November 3 – Election Day! Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. sharp or ballots must be postmarked by today

Register to Vote:

    • Register to vote! The simplest way to register to vote or check your registration is up to date, is to go online to VoteWA.gov. The deadline to register to vote online or return a paper registration form by mail is Monday, Oct. 26.
    • To be eligible to register to vote, you must be a US citizen, a Washington State resident, and not currently incarcerated or under community custody following a felony conviction. To cast a ballot, you must also be 18 by Election Day.

What if Your Ballot Doesn’t Arrive?

    • Ballots are mailed on Oct. 14 and voters should have their ballot in-hand by Oct. 19. b. If you didn’t receive your ballot, that’s OK. We got you covered. Get a replacement here to print one out at home.
    • If you’re having trouble, give us a call at 206-296-VOTE (8683).

How to Return Your Ballot:

    • You can vote and return your ballot as soon as you receive it. Returning your ballot early allows time to correct any issues with your signature so we can count your ballot.

There are three ways to return your ballot:

    • Ballot Drop Box. Drop boxes opened on Oct. 15. Ballot drop boxes are a secure and convenient way for voters to return their ballot. We have 73 drop boxes! Find your nearest drop box: Click here. NOTE: The Burien Drop Box is located on SW 152nd Street near 5th Place SW, just southeast of City Hall/Burien Library (see map here).
    • By mail. We recommend dropping your ballot in the mail by the Friday before Election Day to make sure it gets postmarked in time to be counted. Your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day.
    • At a Vote Center. King County Vote Centers are there to serve those who need to get registered or update their registration after the online deadline has passed on October 26th. In addition, trained staff and specialized equipment can help voters with disabilities cast a private, independent ballot.
    • Due to COVID-19, we urge voters who can to vote early by mail or drop box. If you can’t, there will be 7 Vote Center locations for you to register or vote:
      • Bellevue – Bellevue College Gym: 3000 Landerholm Cir SE, Bellevue, WA, 98007
      • Federal Way – Federal Way Performing Arts Center: 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003
      • Kenmore – Kenmore City Hall: 18120 68th Ave NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
      • Kent – Accesso ShoWare Center: 625 W James St, Kent, WA 98032
      • Renton – Elections HQ in Renton: 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
      • Seattle – CenturyLink Field Event Center: 800 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
      • Seattle – University of Washington Seattle Campus, Dempsey Indoor Center: Walla Walla Road, Seattle, WA 98105

Make a Plan! Vote Early!

    • We’re expecting 90% voter turnout and almost 500,000 ballots returned to drop boxes on Election Day alone! Avoid the traffic and congestion, vote early!
    • Life is busy and creating a vote plan can help make sure you get your ballot in on time. Make a vote plan today so that you know when you’ll vote, who you’ll vote for, and how you’ll return your ballot. You can use the template available on our website here.
    • Voting early means that you can rest easy on Election Day know that you did your part and it means that we are able to provide a more meaningful set of initial results on Election Night. We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions, please reach out. Email us at elections@kingcounty.gov or give us a call at 206-296-VOTE (8683).

 

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