Because next Monday (October 10) is Columbus Day and thus a federal holiday, the U.S. Postal Service and its post offices will be closed that day. This means that filled out voter registration forms and voter registration updates that are put in the mail on Monday will not be postmarked that day, which means those forms will not meet Monday’s mail-in deadline for the 2011 General Election later this fall.

As a result, the Secretary of State’s Elections Division urges people who choose to mail in new or updated voter registration forms to bring them to a post office by the last pickup on Saturday so it can be postmarked in time for Monday’s mail-in voter registration deadline.

People who do not have their registration form properly postmarked by the deadline may still vote.  They should contact their former County Elections Office to ensure their ballot is mailed to the correct address.

The Elections Division reminds Washington residents that they have until Monday to register online to vote or to update their voter registration address. They can go here to register online.

Washington residents who are not currently registered to vote in our state have until October 31 to register in person at their county elections office.