As Washington’s 2015 election nears, we’re promoting use of ballot drop boxes and county election centers for a free, secure way to return ballots without any worry about getting an Election Day  postmark. One handy tip: You can use the voter look-up services of the Voting Information Project, a collaboration of Google and Pew Charitable Trusts.

As with the state-run MyVote tool, WA voters can look up their custom-tailored ballot and locate their closest ballot drop box or county election center.

Link to Voting Information Tool: https://www.votinginfoproject.org/projects/vip-voting-information-tool/

Link to Get to the Polls tool: http://gttp.votinginfoproject.org/

Deadline for getting your ballot to count: A postmark of no later than Nov. 3 or, for ballot drop boxes and county election centers, no later than 8 p.m. Election night.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman on Friday called on all registered voters to take part in the election. Over 3,000 races are on the ballot and 166 state and local measures. “It would be great to have a good turnout as we collectively decide on our officeholders and vote on some very significant ballot issues. I have forecast a 46 percent turnout — and it would be great to exceed that!”