What you need to know about the presidential primary election

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington State 2024 Presidential primary election takes place on Tuesday, March 12 and features three Democratic candidates and five Republican candidates.

The Washington Presidential Primary was established in 1989 to give voters more input in the process of electing the President of the United States (POTUS).

How is the Presidential Primary going in Washington State?

According to the Washington Secretary of State’s Division of Elections, state law sets the date setting processhow the candidates put your name on the ballotand how the holidays use the results.

The presidential primary is the only election in Washington that requires voters mark and sign party declarations written by the main political parties. Your ballot is divided into two sides: Democratic Party (blue) and Republican Party (red). You must vote for a candidate from the political party you marked on your envelope. If you vote on both sides of the ballot, or on the opposite side of the ballot, your vote will not count.

In the November general election, you do not need to declare a party and can choose any candidate. Washington has 12 Electoral College votes, the 13th-most among all states.

Last January, the Secretary of State of Washington the announced lists of candidates were complete. The state Democratic Party submitted three candidate names: Joseph R. Biden Jr., Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson. The Washington State Republican Party has submitted five candidate names for the presidential primary: Donald J. Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie.

Even though some candidates have withdrawn from the race, their names will still appear on the printed ballots.

When will I receive my ballot? When is this due?

Registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail after February 23. Voters must return their ballot to an official drop box or ensure the ballot is postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on March 12.

This year’s presidential primary will take place a week after Super Tuesday, when 14 states will hold primary elections.

The Democratic Party will select its candidate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, August 19-22 in Chicago. Washington has 111 delegates.

The Republican Party convention will take place July 15-18 in Milwaukee. Washington will have approximately 43 delegates.

To find out exactly what’s on your ballot and get a personalized voter’s guide, visit VoteWA.gov.

Below you’ll find important information about voting in Washington state, including how to register to vote, the mail-in voting process, and key dates you need to know:

RELATED: Key Things to Know from the 2024 Iowa Republican Caucuses

Key dates to know

January 9 – Deadline for each major political party to submit its final list of candidates to be printed on its side of the ballot. Once names are submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office, no changes can be made (RCW29A.56.031). The same candidates will appear in the printed voter brochure and the online voter guide.

January 27 – Military and foreign ballots as well as election brochures are sent by post.

from February 14 to 23 –Election brochures are mailed to every household.

February 23 – Start of 18-day voting period (until Election Day). Ballots are mailed to every registered voter and voting centers are open with accessible voting units (AVUs). Voters must check a party box and sign the declaration on the return envelope.

March 4 – Deadline for online And by email registration and address update. Mail-in registrations must be received by an election official by this date, without being postmarked by this date.

12th of March – Presidential Primary

• Last day to register or update in person at a county election office.
• Mail-in ballots must be postmarked March 12 to be counted.
• Ballot boxes and voting centers close at 8:00 p.m.
• After 8:00 p.m., counties begin reporting results to the Secretary of State.

March 29 – Last day for the Secretary of State to certify the results of the presidential primary.

July August – The main political parties organize conventions to officially nominate their candidates for the presidency of the United States. The 2024 Democratic National Convention will take place August 19-22, 2024, and the Republican National Convention will take place July 15-18, 2024.

How do I register to vote?

The Secretary of State allows you to register to vote online here. If you do not have a Washington State driver’s license or ID card, you will need to register in person or by mail.

If you need to check your voter registration information, you can Click here and verify your personal information, including your address.

How can I find out more about candidates and positions?

A voter flyer will be mailed to every household with a registered voter. You can also get more information from the Secretary of State here.

You can also see who’s running at the federal, state, and legislative levels here.

Where can I vote?

Your voting materials are mailed to the address where you are registered to vote. Be sure to sign your return envelope. Then drop your ballot in an official drop box or return it by mail. No stamping is necessary.

You can see a list of drop box locations here. The list will continue to be updated until Election Day.

This map includes locations of polling booths and voting centers across the state for the current election. View all available locations or explore by selecting a specific county and location type.

For details on locations in your county, contact your local elections officeor for a custom listing, log in to VoteWA.gov.

Additional Resources

Source: Washington Secretary of State Elections Division