(Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
It’s time to vote again, Washingtonians.
Ballots for the general election are on their way to the mailboxes of the state’s 4.9 million registered voters. Friday marks the start of Washington’s 18-day voting period, which will end at 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.
In a few short weeks, voters will know who the next president, governor and hundreds of other elected officials will be. They’ll also have their voice heard on four statewide initiatives, which could have major implications for state tax and climate policies.
Want to have a say? Make sure to turn in your ballot to a state ballot drop box, county elections center or have it postmarked and in the mail by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
For those choosing the mail-in route, the U.S. Post Office recommends sending your ballot one week before Election Day, but they’ll still be counted as long as they are postmarked by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.
For those not yet registered, there’s still time. To register online or by mail, voters have until Oct. 28. Those waiting until the last minute can register and vote at a county election office until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
What’s on the ballot
It’s a consequential election for the state and the rest of the country. In Washington, there are hundreds of federal, statewide and local races.
All nine statewide executive offices are up for grabs this year, including governor, which will have the first new face since Gov. Jay Inslee was first elected 12 years ago. Democrat Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert are facing off in this race.
The races for the superintendent of public instruction, commissioner of public lands and attorney general are also closely watched this election.
Every voter in Washington will also have a say on four statewide initiatives that could repeal or roll back Democratic-backed policies enacted in recent years – including the state’s cap-and-trade law, its capital gains tax, a long-term care program, and measures to speed up the state’s transition away from natural gas.
Voters will also have a choice in how the state Legislature is made up next year. All 98 seats in the state House of Representatives and half of the state Senate seats are up for election.
At the county, city and town level, there are 132 local races across Washington this election, and 143 local measures.
At a federal level, Washington voters will choose in a Senate race between Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell, who has held the seat since 2000, and Republican Raul Garcia, a Yakima emergency room doctor.
All of Washington’s U.S. House seats are up this year, including in the closely watched 3rd Congressional District where Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent are in a rematch that could determine which party controls the House.
And among the first decisions voters will make on their ballot is who they want to be the next President of the United States: Republican former President Donald Trump or Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
For more information on voting in this November’s election, you can visit voteWA.gov.