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Bellingham, WA 98227-4041
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HomeElection Information


Election Information

Ready to cast your vote?



Washington is an all-mail ballot state. Once your ballot is sealed and signed, you may put it in the mail, no postage required, or take it to a ballot dropbox.  Dropboxes are open until 8pm election day.


Dropbox locations >


Why Local Elections

are Important


Local governments shape the communities we live in. If a community has nice parks, safe streets, and clean water, it's because its county and city governments and special districts are doing a good job.  More...

Do You Want to Be Sure Your Vote is Counted?

Sign up for text alerts.

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How to sign up
How to sign up

Sign up for text updates to know your ballot was received and accepted by county elections offices. Subscribers to the texts also get alerts if their ballot has a problem – like they forgot to sign it –with directions to take action to get it tallied.

It can be done by adding a cell phone number to a new or existing voter registration either online via votewa.gov or in person at a county elections office. 

“Getting a text message when your ballot is processed adds transparency and trust in our system,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement.

“It’s a win for voters,” he said. “They’ll have confidence when their ballot has been received.”

Share this information with friends, family, and neighbors.

Every Vote Counts

Whatcom County Elections' website is the place to get local election results, a sample ballot, turnout, election calendar and much more.


Whatcom County Elections

The Washington Secretary of State

 is responsible for elections and voting


You can find who filed for office, how to file for office, what initiatives have been filed, statewide election results and voter turnout information. The State's elections calendar reflects dates as prescribed by statute. Effective deadlines may differ due to county or state office business hours.

Sec'ty of State Elections >


The Path of a Ballot...

Voter Accessibility


As a voter with a disability, you can request reasonable accommodation or assistance to vote.  Whatcom County ELections is committed to ensuring accissibility at voting centers, and that you have the opportunity to vote privately and independently.


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Registering to Vote
Washington has the option to register to vote online at VoteWA.gov which can be accessed in 5 different languages. If you don't have a Washington State ID, a printable voter registration form is available in 23 different languages from the WA Secretary of State website. If you are unable to print a form, contact the elections division to have a form mailed to you.

Accessible Voting Units

Accessible voting units (AVUs) are available starting 20 days before Election Day, until 8 pm on Election Day. An AVU presents your ballot on a monitor. You select choices by touching the screen, or by using a selection tool. You can use headphones to listen to the text and prompts on your ballot. AVUs must be wheelchair-accessible and screened from other voters to maintain privacy.

Voters Pamphlets
The Washington Secretary of State is able to offer several different accessible formats of the voters' pamphlet for state level contests and candidates. You can find their accessible voters' pamphlet on their Voters with Disabilities page.
Whatcom County produces a voters pamphlet for local contests and candidates. If there is a February or April special election, the local voters' pamphlet is only mailed to registered voters receiving a ballot. For the August primary and November general elections the local voters' pamphlet is mailed to every resident in Whatcom County. For every election the local voters' pamphlet is available online.

Accessible Voting Advisory Committee
The Whatcom County Accessible Voting Advisory Committee (AVAC) was formed in 2006 pursuant to RCW 29A.04.223:  “Each county shall establish and maintain an advisory committee that includes persons with diverse disabilities and persons with expertise in providing accommodations for persons with disabilities.  The committee shall assist election officials in developing a plan to identify and implement changes to improve the accessibility of elections for voters with disabilities.”

The mission of AVAC is to create effective public education and outreach to inform the disabled community of the ability to cast a secret ballot independently on an Accessible Voting Unit.  The committee additionally will be a source of communication between the disabled community and the Auditor’s Office to aid in identifying barriers that may preclude a person from registering and/or voting and any other election-related matter.

Contacting Our Office

The Whatcom County Elections Division has staff available to assist with Spanish translations and we gladly accept relay calls from those with hearing or speech disabilities.

Additional Information and Resources
You can visit the Washington Secretary of State's website for additional information.




Another election information source:


VOTE411.org

Vote411.org is a project of the League of Women Voters Education Fund and provides nonpartisan information to the public.

Your Vote 2021

A Guide to Voting in Washington State
is provided by the League and the Spokesman Review.  Click here to read.


Want to Track Your ballot?

 

Go to votewa.gov and enter your name and birthdate.

Want to Observe Ballot Processing?


Anyone has the right to observe any part of the election process. You may observe via a webcam or in person. For more information click here .

Want to Help Get Out the Vote?

 

The League is actively involved in getting out the vote during the election season. If you want to help get out the vote, contact us!