(Image courtesy of State Elections Division)

Are you ready to vote in the General Election this fall? Make sure to first check your mail for one of the most useful educational tools you can have before you fill out your ballot!

The centennial edition of the General Election Voters’ Pamphlet is being mailed throughout Washington this week. If you receive a damaged Voters’ Pamphlet or you don’t receive your copy by Oct. 22, please call our Voter Hotline at (800) 448-4881 or e-mail the Elections Division at [email protected] for assistance.

The Voters’ Pamphlet also is available in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese, as mandated by federal law. The Chinese and Vietnamese versions are for King County, and Spanish-English bilingual editions are mailed in Adams, Franklin and Yakima counties.

The Voters’ Pamphlet, provided by our Elections Division, is packed with useful information about state candidates and measures found on this fall’s ballot. It includes info on the three statewide initiatives on the ballot: Initiative 1351, which aims to lower class sizes in Washington public schools; Initiative 591, which would prohibit government agencies from requiring background checks on firearm recipients unless a uniform national standard is required; and I-594, which would require universal background checks on gun purchases. The popular voter education booklet also has information on the two nonbinding Advisory Votes on revenue-related bills passed by the state Legislature this year.

Here are some facts and figures about this year’s Voters’ Pamphlet:
• The Elections Division is mailing it to 3.2 million households throughout Washington. There is no opt-out list. It is delivered to every household in the state as required by the Washington Constitution. Mailing to all households is the most cost-effective way to deliver it.
• It’s printed in 27 regional editions, including in Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish (as required by federal law). The Chinese and Vietnamese versions are mailed in King County. Voters in Adams, Franklin and Yakima counties receive bilingual (English/Spanish) editions.
• Accessible audio and text formats are available for voters who are blind or have limited vision. Go here  if you need the Voters’ Pamphlet as a plain text, audio or Word document file. Voters without Internet access can contact the Elections Division for subscription options.
• Additional copies of the printed Voters’ Pamphlet are available in County Auditor offices, libraries, post offices, long-term care centers and disability service centers.
• Several editions are as small as 64 pages. Franklin County, which has a bilingual edition, has the largest Voters’ Pamphlet at 144 pages.
• Our office does not fact-check our correct statements or arguments by candidates or ballot measure committees. They are printed as submitted.

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library)

Our office has produced and distributed a Voters’ Pamphlet for a century. The state’s first Voters’ Pamphlet (shown above) was sent to Washingtonians in 1914.

Looking for other ways to study this fall’s candidates and ballot measures?
• MyVote – Visit MyVote to view your candidates and ballot measures.
• Online Voters’ Guide – View all state candidates and ballot measures online here.
• Video Voters’ Guide – Our Elections Division and TVW have again teamed up to offer the 2014 Video Voters Guide, which includes statements by the candidates for the four state Supreme Court positions on the ballot, and pro and con arguments on the three statewide initiatives.

Since this is the centennial of Washington’s Voters’ Pamphlet, this year’s cover pays tribute to its history by featuring the covers of the 1914, 1958, 1963 and 2010 pamphlets. The back cover of the Voters’ Pamphlet includes artwork by Talia Anderson, the winner of this year’s Kids’ Art Contest that is run by our Elections Division. Anderson is now a sixth-grader in the Port Angeles School District.