It's easier to cast a ballot in Washington than in almost any other U.S. state, according to a nonpartisan study published in the Election Law Journal.
Driving the news: The 2022 Cost of Voting Index ranks Washington as having the second-fewest obstacles to voting, behind only Oregon.
Why it matters: Making it difficult to register to vote or return a ballot can cause people to sit out elections, reducing participation in our democracy.
Details: Oregon and Washington ranked highly because of their use of all-mail voting and the length of time people have to fill out their ballots, making voting more convenient, the study said.
- Both states also have same-day voter registration and widespread automatic registration that's triggered when people interact with state agencies like the Department of Licensing.
Zoom in: In Washington, ballots must be mailed to voters 18 days before Election Day, giving people 2.5 weeks to vote.
Be smart: While Washingtonians can register to vote in person at a voting center as late as Election Day, you can save yourself a trip and do it online through Oct. 31.
- That's also the deadline for submitting an address change online for the upcoming Nov. 8 election.
What's next: Ballots will be mailed to registered voters by Oct. 21.
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