Important Voter Information

Stay Updated

See this Elections Calendar to your so you get your ballot in on time.

See “Important Links” section below for resources.

Ballots are due the first week of November!

  • Mail ballots usually arrive after Oct. 15.

  • Deposit your ballot in an official drop box before

    8 p.m. on Election Day. The sooner the better!

  • Mail your ballot before Halloween (Oct. 31st). If you couldn’t not mail your ballot before then, it’s best to deposit it in an official drop box.

  • For in-person registration, see below:

What is a Midterm Election?

In a midterm election only a few offices are up for re-election. It happens halfway through the President’s term, and allows voters to redirect government work.

Midterms occur at local, state, and federal levels.

This contrasts with a general election, when most offices in all branches of government are subject to change at the same time. 

How to Vote

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How to Vote 〰️

    • Be a U.S. Citizen of at least 18 years old

      • Whether born in the U.S. or after receiving citizenship.

    • Be a resident of Washington state for at least 30 days prior to election day.

      • Update your license as soon as possible.

    • Not currently incarcerated for a federal conviction

  • Receive the Voter's Brochure - Sent by mail to all households in the state of Washington for the General Elections, use this tool to make informed decisions about candidates and measures. It should arrive before your ballot. See your personalized Voter's Guide.

    After making your decision, make sure to sign your ballot with the same signature used when registered.

Ballot Drop Off Sites

Important Links!

Here you’ll find important websites to help you stay updated about elections in Washington state.

Educational Content

Join us as we partner with community organizations to talk about what government is, how elections impact our daily lives and address common questions!

In our pilot episode, we team up with Nuestras Raices’ “Hasta la Raíz” podcast series to answer the questions “what is government?” and “why should I vote in local elections?”. We also identify important links for all voters to keep track of!

US Government Branches

The federal and state governments are divided into three core branches that perform important functions. All government agencies operate within one of these branches.

Legislative - The legislature is where decisions are made about laws and the budget. They can create or repeal laws, create or dissolve government agencies, and determine how public funds are used. They do not enforce the law, but they oversee executive branch agencies.

The federal legislature is Congress, in Washington, D.C. Washington State’s legislature is in Olympia, WA. Both are divided between Representatives and Senators.

City council is Spokane’s legislative branch.

Executive - This branch carries out, enforces, “executes,” or implements the decisions made by its legislature. It sets the strategies and priorities of agencies using the funds allocated by the legislature.

The federal executive is the President of the United States. Washington’s executive is the state’s Governor.

The mayor’s office is the executive branch of the City of Spokane.

Judicial - The court system is responsible for resolving issues that require an interpretation of the law. They can handle issues between citizens (e.g. protection orders, breach of contract) and issues between citizens and the government (e.g. crimes).

There are federal courts that hear cases between states, immigration cases, among other matters. There is a federal Supreme Court. States have courts in their counties and a state Supreme Court above local courts, but state courts are under the jurisdiction of federal courts.

Elected Officials Impact

Local

Mayor - Elected Executive, responsible for daily city operations, power to appoint key department heads like the chief of police. Can introduce new laws. In charge of deciding on land use, housing plans, job programs, transportation policies, investments into parks, cooperates with Federal Government on immigration policy and drug issues.

The City Council - Final vote in creating new laws and approving city budget. Can approve or reject department heads. After a mayor, they get the final say on what gets passed or not.

County Commissioner - Deals with issues affecting the entire county. Set rules of countrywide programs: transportation initiatives that connect other cities.

District Attorney - Chief law enforcer in the community. Authority to investigate and bring an issue to trial, prosecute criminal offenses, and make sentencing recommendations. Have the power to address police brutality and misconduct cases. They can work to address inequities in sentencing, reforming the criminal justice system, and advocate for changes to cash bail standards.

School Board - Link between community and classrooms. Determine what and how students are learning through policy making, curriculum, and budgets for the school district. These people determine what funding goes towards certain programs like sports, arts, music, when school begins and ends, and so much more. They decide who gets hired as principal and set teacher guidelines. School Board members affects the education of all students in K-12 schools.

State

Governor - Chief executive of the state government. Implement state laws, manage the state budget, and oversee state agencies and departments. Public face of the state and is the representative in dealing with other state representatives and the federal government.

Lieutenant Governor - Second-highest executive officer of state. Responsibilities vary by state, but often presides over the state Senate, successor to the Governor if they are unable to fulfill their duties and carry out specific duties assigned by Governor or the state legislature.

Legislature - Responsible for making and passing laws. Elected by citizens of the state to represent their concerns and interests. Consists of two chambers: Senate and House of Representatives

Attorney General - Chief legal officer of state. Provide legal advice to the state government, represent the state in legal matters, and enforce state laws. Oversees investigations/prosecutions on crimes and violations of state law.

Auditor General - Audits the financial records and practices of state government. Ensures compliance with accounting standards, identifies areas of financial inefficiency or mismanagement, and provides recommendations for improvement. Promotes transparency and accountability in government spending/operations.

State Treasurer - Oversees state finances and assets. Manages state funds, including tax revenue and investments. Manages state debt, can be in charge of managing unclaimed property to get them to rightful owners, and serves on many boards related to finances and investments.

Federal

President and Vice President - Chief executive and second-in-command of the U.S. Responsible for enforcing laws, conducting foreign affairs, and overseeing the federal government’s administration.

U.S Senate - Responsible for passing legislation, confirming presidential appointments and ratifies treaties.

U.S House of Representatives - Responsible for introducing and passing legislation, like bills related to revenue and spending.

Federal Offices - Appointed by President and Vice President and confirmed by Senate. Includes Cabinet Members, Supreme Court Justices, Federal Judges, and other Federal Officials. They implement policies, interpret and apply the law, resolve legal disputes, preside over trials and hearings in federal courts, and carry out other roles within the federal government.

3 formas de registrarse para votar

3 ways to register to Vote