Every year the Civic Engagement Chair for SGSU organizes voter registration and education efforts. Between September and November, they provide a variety of services and support, including:
In order to maintain our tax-exempt status, a 501 ( c) (3) SU does not participate in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective office. Instead, we engage in voter education activities such as public forums conducted in a non-partisan manner, voter registration, and get out the vote drives.
Information to register as a voter in Washington:
To be eligible to vote in Washington you must:
You will need the following information/documents:
**If you are 16 or 17 you can sign up as a future voter by completing the same online or paper voter registration form linked below, and you will automatically be registered to vote on your 18th birthday. Click here to learn more about the WA Future Voter Program.
Information to register as a voter in another state:
Voter eligibility and processes vary by state.
As a student attending college in Washington, you are eligible to vote in WA elections. If you attend college in WA and have been living in the state for at least 30 days prior to Election Day, you are eligible to vote. If you live in an on campus residence hall you are able to use that as your official voter residency address.
If you are registered to vote in another state, you can still register to vote in Washington state and then cancel your registration in your home state. You CANNOT vote simultaneously in both states. Each state has specific laws about “double voting” (which you can read here). Washington explicitly prohibits people from voting in more than one state.
Voting by mail:
All Washington State registered voters will automatically receive their ballot in the mail about two weeks before Election Day. Postage is prepaid so you do not have to pay to mail your ballot in. Voters then must have their ballots postmarked by Election Day or have until 8pm on Election Day to drop their ballot off in a designated drop box.
A special note about COVID-19:
We know that many students have moved to other parts of the country during this pandemic. As long as you have your Washington residential address listed on your Voter Registration, you can maintain your Washington voter status. The address that you want your ballot mailed to can be different (even in a different state) than your residential address. Make sure your mailing address is up to date here to ensure that your ballot is mailed to the correct address.
You may choose to register to vote in your home state.
Special notes about voting in your home state while living in Washington:
To vote in your home state while you are living in Washington for school, you can vote by absentee (mail-in) voting. Every state has different laws pertaining to absentee voting which you can read more about here.
Make sure to change your MAILING address to your Washington address. DO NOT change your permanent address. Your ballot mailing address can be different (in another state) than your residency address.
There are many voter guides out there. We have identified a few nonpartisan resources here:
Need a paper form but don’t have access to a printer? Need an envelope and postage to mail in your Voter registration form? Email the Civic Engagement Chair at sgsucivicengage@seattleu.edu for materials and resources.
If you have more questions or want more resources please feel free to contact SGSU’s Civic Engagement Chair, Isabelle Halaka, at sgsucivicengage@seattleu.edu.