How do you register to vote?

There are three ways someone can register to vote. With COVID, we are encouraging anyone who has access to the internet to access the statewide website, voteWA.gov. That is the website where any Washington state resident who needs to register to vote can go online and enter their information, and that will register them to vote. It will also update their information, so any address change that needs to happen can happen on that website as well.

If you don’t have access to the internet, you can contact our office and we can mail you a voter registration form. Fill it out, mail it back to us and then we’ll register you to vote.

Lastly, we are a same-day voter registration state. That means voters have until 8 o’clock on Election Day to register to vote. So if it is Election Day or the day before and you’re still not registered, you can still come in-person and register to vote in order to ensure that you participate.

Ballots need to returned to red county drop boxes by 8 p.m. Nov. 3, or postmarked by Nov. 3 if mailed, to be counted.

How do you fill out a ballot? What if you mess up a race?

There are instructions on the ballot regarding filling in the rectangle. Every county’s ballot looks slightly different. In order to vote, what you’re doing is you’re filling in the rectangle next to the answer or the candidate for which you choose to vote for. If you make a mistake, it’s not a problem. There are also instructions on how to correct that mistake.

Do voters have to use a black or blue pen? What if they use a pencil?

We encourage all voters to use a black pen when voting, but if you don’t, it’s OK. It is an extra step when processing the ballot. It will take us a little longer. But we will make sure that your vote still counts.

How should I submit my ballot this year?

County election officials are encouraging voters to submit their ballot the same way they always have - whether that's by mail or at one of the 15 drop boxes across the county.

Do I need to be concerned about using the postal service?

Washington has been vote-by-mail since 2005, so the county has a lot of experience in conducting elections by mail. Yakima County election administrators say they're confident that not only will you receive your ballot in a timely manner in order to vote, but that if your ballot is mailed by election day it'll arrive in a timely manner to count it.

How do I find a drop box?

There are a couple different ways. You can visit VoteWA.gov. Among other things it lists all the different locations where you can drop your ballot off. You'll also receive a list of those ballot drop boxes in the ballot packet.