Pre-18 voter registration in
Washington
In Washington 92,067
people turn 18 every year.
Washingtonians can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in Washington, you must be: 16 years old. That means all eligible seniors, juniors and most sophomores in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18*.
*In Washington, 17-year-olds can vote in primaries if they will be 18 by Nov 3, 2026.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in Washington
Upcoming Elections:
- Aug 4th, 2026 - Washington Primary Election (Register by Jul 27th, 2026)
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - Washington General Election (Register by Oct 26th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for Washington.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in Washington.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When registering by mail in Washington, you are required to provide your Washington driver license, permit, or ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, you can leave that field blank. After you submit your application, your local election office will reach out to give you instructions about using an alternate ID to complete the voter registration process.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in Washington you must:
be a United States citizen
be a legal resident of Washington
be at least 18 years old by election day (16- and 17-year-olds can sign up as Future Voters and automatically be registered to vote when they qualify)
not be disqualified from voting due to a court order
not be currently serving a sentence of total confinement in prison under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections for a felony conviction in Washington State, another state, or in federal court
not be currently incarcerated for a federal or out-of-state felony conviction
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes current and valid photo identification OR current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.
Online Instructions
To register online in Washington, you need to provide ONE of the following: Washington driver license number, Washington permit number, Washington state ID number, or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you don't have a Washington-issued ID or Social Security number, you can still register by mail or in person with an alternate ID.
More information here.
Washington High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
Washington Requirements for High School Voter Registration
January 16 is Temperance and Good Citizenship Day. Social studies teachers must, as resources allow, coordinate a voter registration event for high school seniors and make voter sign up and registration available to all students.
All students who will be eighteen years of age or older by the time of the next general election will be given the opportunity to register to vote online in the classroom. Students who do not possess a state identicard or driver's license must be provided a paper registration form.
The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the secretary of state, must update and distribute youth voter registration materials annually, by December 1st, for eligible students to register to vote at school.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Mar 30th, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
See More
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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