The November Election is around the corner, and KIRO 7 wants to make sure you’re prepared.
Important dates
October 17 – This is the start of the voting period and the deadline for counties to mail out ballots to registered voters.
October 27 – This is the last day for online and mailed registrations or updates to be received.
October 28 – The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing your filled-out ballot back at least one week before Election Day.
November 4 – Election Day
- Vote in-person by 8 p.m.
- Official ballot drop boxes are open until 8 p.m.
- Mailed ballots must be postmarked by election day
Voters in WA
As of October 1, the Washington Secretary of State says there are 5,082,306 active voters in Washington.
How do I register to vote?
There are three ways to register:
Online - Go to VoteWA.gov to fill out your information. You’ll need your Washington State Driver’s License or ID.
By mail - Go to sos.wa.gov/elections/voters to print out a paper form. Mails it to your county elections office.
In person - Visit your county elections office during business hours and they’ll walk you through the process.
2025 Voter’s Pamphlet
A printed regional edition is delivered to each residence in Washington. If you lost yours, don’t worry. There are digital copies available here.
Where do I drop off my ballot?
Many drop boxes are open 24/7 during the voting period. They close promptly at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
554 drop boxes are available for the 2025 General Election. Unsure where to go? Click here for a map of drop boxes and voting centers near you. For a list of addresses and directions, click here.
It’s important to note that in Washington, the election is mail-in only, though counties provide accessible voting centers for people who need assistance.
Also, ballots have prepaid postage, so don’t worry about adding a stamp.
Can I track my ballot?
Yes. If you’re worried about your ballot making it to its destination, you can track the status online.
- Go to the state’s voting information site at votewa.gov.
- Enter your name and birthdate.
- On the left side, you should see an option to check “Ballot Status.” Click on that, and it should tell you where your ballot is.
What’s on the ballot?
There are 2,978 races on the November ballot for 2025:
- 1,067 city positions
- 722 school district positions
- 543 other local
- 444 fire district positions
- 127 hospital district positions
- 64 county positions
- 9 legislative positions
- 2 judicial positions
There are 158 ballot measures:
- 50 city
- 24 fire district
- 23 school district
- 18 county
- 17 park district
- 15 other local
- 8 hospital district
- 2 library
- 1 statewide
To view the specifics for each race, click here and then choose the county you’re interested in learning about.
When is a recount necessary?
Machine recounts in Washington state are automatic if the vote margin between the top two candidates is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast for both candidates.
Manual recounts are required for statewide contests if the margin is less than 1,000 votes and less than 0.25% of the total votes cast for both candidates.
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