Washington state votes by mail. To receive a ballot based on the jurisdictions you reside in, your residence address and mailing address must be current.
If you are temporarily away, such as serving in the military, attending college, or spending the winter in another state, but Clark County is your home of permanent residence, you can request that your ballot is mailed to where you currently reside. Please make your request as soon as possible to allow the ballot to arrive at your mailing address on time.
Some things to know about voting in Clark County
Election dates: General Elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Primaries are held on the first Tuesday of August. Special elections may be held in February or April. See the elections calendar for exact dates.
Partisan and nonpartisan elections: Generally, all races in odd-year Primaries and General Elections are for nonpartisan local positions in cities and towns, school districts, fire districts, cemetery districts, sewer districts and port districts. Races in even-year Primaries and General Elections are for partisan positions in legislative, state and federal jurisdictions as well as for partisan and nonpartisan positions in the county. To find out which jurisdictions you live in, you may look at your voter registration card, or go to VoteWA, or call the Elections Office at 564.397.2345, or email us at elections@clark.wa.gov.
Political parties: Voters do not declare a political party affiliation when registering to vote in the state of Washington.
Curious about how ballots are processed?
Click on the image below to watch our video!
Please note that since this video was created, our office was remodeled to increase security, transparency and efficiency to provide a better experience for voters and certified election observers. Some of the logistics changed, such as different vendors, but the overall processes remain largely identical.
How to vote your ballot
Your ballot is mailed to you at least 18 days before each election. Your ballot packet will include a ballot, a secrecy sleeve and a white return envelope. Follow the instructions that accompany your ballot. If you need a replacement ballot, contact the Elections Office.
Your ballot must be:
- Returned to a designated ballot drop box by 8 pm on Election Day; or
- Returned in person to the Elections Office by 8 pm on Election Day; or
- Postmarked no later than Election Day.
Note: Stamps are not necessary to return your ballot.
If you fail to sign the ballot declaration on the return envelope, or the signature on the ballot declaration does not match the signature in your voter registration record, the Elections Office will contact you. If you are physically present and unable to sign the declaration, make a mark in front of two witnesses and have them sign in the designated spaces. It is a felony to sign another voter's ballot. You may not use a power of attorney to sign for someone else.
If your ballot is lost or damaged, you can get a replacement ballot from the Elections Office at 1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver, or by calling (564) 397-2345.
Ballot processing and secrecy
It is essential to the integrity of an election that ballot processing be accurate and transparent, while maintaining your right to a secret ballot. After you return your voted ballot, the Elections Office follows this ballot counting process:
- Your signature on the return envelope is checked against the signature on file in your voter registration record to make sure they match.
- You are credited for voting in that election. This ensures that only one ballot from each voter is counted.
- The return envelope, which identifies you, is then separated from the secrecy sleeve, which contains your voted ballot. Your ballot cannot be traced back to you, ensuring the secrecy of your vote.
- All ballots are inspected to make sure the tabulating machine will be able to read all votes. Tabulation equipment is tested before every election to make sure it is working accurately.
You are welcome to observe ballot processing. Contact the observer coordinator for your political party or organization, or reach out to the Elections Office, to arrange a time.