Wildfires and Voting

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If you've been displaced by wildfires, you can still vote away from home.

Have you been displaced?

  • Ballots will be mailed by county election offices no later than 18 days before Election Day. If you have not received your ballot by the following week, contact your county elections office for assistance.
  • Voters facing possible displacement due to a wildfire should consider making a voting plan today.
  • After your county has mailed your ballot through Election Day, you may also log in to VoteWA.gov to download and print a replacement ballot, and return it according to the instructions specified.
    • By-mail, drop box, and in-person return options are available.
    • Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day in order to be counted.
  • You may visit any county elections office or voting center during business hours and through 8:00 PM Election Day to register to vote and receive a ballot, or receive a replacement ballot if they're already registered.


Your voter registration and ballot

  • When you registered to vote, you provided your residential (physical) address. This is where your mailed ballot materials will be sent by default. You can also provide a separate mailing address if you receive mail somewhere else; the mailing address may differ from your residential address.
  • There are several options to make changes to your voter registration record:
    • Up to eight days before the election, visit VoteWA.gov or contact your county elections office. Changes may include updating residential and mailing addresses, last name (have you been married or divorced since the last time you voted?), providing additional contact information, and more. You can also use VoteWA.gov to access an online voters' guide, track your ballot, and download and print a replacement ballot.
    • Until 8:00 PM on Election Day, visit a county elections office or voting center to register to vote and receive a ballot, or receive a replacement ballot if you're already registered.
  • You are encouraged to make necessary updates to your voter registration as soon as possible to ensure your ballot is delivered to the correct location on the first try. Your county elections office will mail your ballot no later than eighteen days before Election Day.


Your local county elections office

  • Each county elections office has a contingency plan in place to ensure election operations can continue and any issues caused by a natural disaster can be mitigated.