What to check, do, know before you vote in upcoming August primary

— from Mark Mayer for Our Revolution San Juan County —

Washington’s Primary Election is just around the corner on August 6, 2019. Are you ready to make your voice heard?

DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION

You’ve done the first part: registered to vote. But have you checked your voter registration since you first registered? It’s easy to do: visit VoteWa.gov to make sure your registration is up to date with your current address. It only takes a couple minutes, and it’s one of the best things you can do to make sure nothing stands between you and your ballot.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS?

The Washington Secretary of State’s office recently upgraded to a new voter registration database system called VoteWA. While elections officials are confident the system will run smoothly from now to Primary Election Day, there have been reports of some information not being accurate that could result in some voters not receiving their ballots.

Check your status at votewa.gov

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE NOT SHOWING UP ON THE VOTER ROLLS

You should receive your ballot in the mail between July 20-22nd, 2019. If you do not receive your ballot but you’ve checked your status and you are accurately registered, contact your County Election official immediately; all county elections offices’ phone numbers are listed on the back page of this document. They will then mail you a replacement ballot.

HOW TO VOTE IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED YOUR BALLOT

If you’re concerned you won’t receive a replacement ballot from your county elections office before Election Day, you have two other ways to make your voice heard:

• Print a replacement ballot: You can print a replacement ballot by logging into VoteWa.gov. The website will provide you with a county-appropriate replacement ballot to print out at home. Afterward, you can mail it in, or place it in ballot drop box.

• Vote in person: You can vote in person at your local county auditor’s office; locations are available on VoteWa.gov. To vote in person, you will need a Washington state ID or the last four digits of your social security number.Once elections officials confirm your eligibility, they will give you a ballot that you can fill out and submit in person.