Get ready for Washington’s August 4 primary: Check your registration and address!

We’re only a month away from Washington state’s August 4 primary! Between now and then, we’ll have regular posts covering the nuts-and-bolts like who can vote, how to vote (including accessible polling places), and how to request a ballot if yours doesn’t arrive. We’ll also cover how to get involved with get out the vote (GOTV) efforts, both in-person and online.

To start with, it’s always a good idea to check your registration a week or two before ballots are mailed out. This way, if your address is wrong, you can correct it before your ballot’s mailed to the wrong place. Not only that, it seems like every election a couple of our group members discover that they need to re-register for some reason.

Here’s how to check you registration and address

Start by going to VoteWa.gov, Washington state’s voter portal.

VoteWa.gov is a one-stop shop: you can register, update your address, request a new ballot if yours doesn’t show up, and find out what’s on your ballot. When you go there, you’ll see something like this.

Fill in your first name, last name, and date of birth, and click submit. If the system finds your information, check your registration status — it should be Active — and make sure your address is correct.

If your status is inactive, you’ll get instructions on what to do. If your name or address has changed (or is wrong), click on the “Update my name or address button.”

If the system doesn’t find your information, you’ll see something like this …

The first thing to do if this happens is double-check the information you entered. There might be a typo, or maybe you entered a variation on your name.

If you’re really not there, you can contact your County Elections Office — their contact information is available on the Secretary of State’s site. Or click on the “Register to Vote” button to go to the online voter registration system. You will need a current Washington State driver’s license, permit or ID card. If you do not have any of these, you may still register by mail or in person.

Image credit: “Primary 2020” from the Washington Secretary of State, via Twitter.