Few days remain to register to vote in November

By Stefanie Donahue

Washington residents have until Monday, October 8 to update their mailing address or register to vote in the Tuesday, November 6 general election.

Registration forms can be mailed to or completed at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office, located at 311 Grand Avenue, suite 103 in Bellingham. Registration can also be completed online at myvote.wa.gov.

For those who have never registered to vote in Washington, the deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 29. Registration can also be completed in person at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office.

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters between October 6-13 and should arrive no later than Thursday, October 25.

Ballots that are returned by mail must be postmarked by election day and those that are dropped off at a ballot box must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day. Postage is free this year in an effort to increase voter participation.

All drop boxes in Whatcom County will be open during the general election, including those located at the Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street; North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, 4581 Birch Bay-Lynden Road; and Custer Elementary, 7660 Custer School Road.

As of October 3, 140,636 people were registered to vote in Whatcom County. During last year’s general election, the county saw a turnout of 46 percent; in 2016, a presidential election year, the turnout was 83 percent.

Staff with the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office provide voting assistance to elderly and disabled individuals at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 103 in Bellingham and by phone at 360/778-5102. To learn more, visit bit.ly/2xRUPdo.