About half of the state’s nearly 4 million registered voters are predicted to cast ballots in this year’s election. In King County, officials say the number of registered voters keeps climbing. If you're a newcomer to Washington state, you have until Monday to get your name on the voter rolls.
The deadline to register to vote, in most cases, is about a month before an election. But new residents can register as few as eight days beforehand. The only catch: You have to do it in person.
In King County, you have to visit the Department of Elections, at 919 SW Grady Way, in Renton. (Find out where to register in other counties)
If you already have a Washington driver's license or other state-issued identification, you can register through an online portal at the office. But if you don't, you have to fill out a short form. It asks for your name, the last four digits of your social security number, and some other information, including whether you've been registered in another state.
In the first six months of this year, more than 26,000 King County residents registered to vote. King County has more than a quarter of the state’s registered voters.
“It’s amazing what the numbers are," said county elections director Sherril Huff. "We’re a huge jurisdiction. So it’s kind of shocking when we sit down sometimes and look at those numbers.”
Huff says the county has worked hard to populate the voter rolls.
"We do a lot of outreach," she said. "We are out there talking with people about voter registration, and we attend the naturalization ceremonies, so we can encourage any of those people who are ready to register, to register.”
The county offers interpreting services are offered, and prints voter information not only in English, but also Chinese and Vietnamese.
Once you're registered, or if you're already registered, there are some important things to keep in mind about voting.
