How to vote · 2026
Washington
WashingtonBallot mailed to every voter
Registration, mail-ballot, and early-voting dates, with source notes and official election-office links. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Dates and rules
Registration, mail ballots, and early voting
Registration deadlineNovember 2, 2026Online/mail registration received by Oct. 26, 2026 (8 days before); in-person registration and same-day registration through 8 p.m. Election Day at voting centers.
Mail ballots first sentOctober 16, 2026Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot at least 18 days before Election Day (by Oct. 16, 2026; RCW 29A.40.070). Drop boxes open when ballots go out.
Return rulePostmarked by Election Day (received by Nov. 23, 2026 to count)
Early in-person votingOctober 16, 2026Through November 3, 2026 · All-mail state; voting centers open for in-person assistance and voting from Oct. 16 (18 days) through 8 p.m. Election Day.
Official WA election site ↗Automated verification has not confirmed every listed date. Check the official election office for current deadlines and eligibility rules.Sources: [1] USA.gov directory of official state election offices[2] All-mail; ballots mailed by Oct. 16, 2026[3] CEIR 2026 voter registration deadlines (June 25, 2026 dataset; per-mode deadlines and same-day registration windows)[4] NCSL Table 7: statutory rule for when absentee/mail ballots are mailed[5] NCSL Table 11 (updated Dec. 2025): ballot receipt/postmark deadline
On the ballot
Tracked Washington races
Every state
Compare Washington with the rest of the country.
The full table of mail-ballot send dates, registration deadlines, and early-voting windows for all fifty states and DC, plus the documented record of government actions on mail voting this cycle.
Back to Ballot Watch →