The following is a press release from Washington’s Secretary of State:

Washington’s voting period for the fall General Election begins this week with the mailing of ballots. Voters’ Pamphlets have already been sent statewide.

Voters have until 8 p.m. Nov. 6 to return their ballots to one of hundreds of drop boxes located around Washington. The state is also providing postage-paid ballot return envelopes this year. Voters are encouraged to mail in ballots prior to Friday, Nov. 2, to ensure the envelopes are postmarked by Election Day. Registered voters can verify their status and information online at MyVote.wa.gov or by consulting county elections officials, and unregistered eligible voters have until Oct. 29 to sign up in person to vote in the General Election.

Any registered voter who doesn’t receive a ballot by Friday, Oct. 26, should contact a county elections official to obtain a replacement. Online multilingual and audio-only voters’ guides and other information about the General Election can be found at the Secretary of State’s website.

“Every eligible Washingtonian deserves the opportunity to have their voice heard,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman, Washington’s top elections official. “In this election, we’re taking unprecedented steps to keep the system secure while providing access to eligible citizens in every county of the state. Government functions best when the entire public is informed and participating, and the time to take part is now.”

Wyman urged voters to return their completed ballots well before the Nov. 6 deadline, especially if voting by mail, to ensure that the ballot is received on time. Along with providing registration information, Washington’s MyVote website also enables voters to track when county officials receive their ballots for processing.

“Because voting by mail is so convenient, there is a temptation to put it off until the last minute yet a late postmark will disqualify a ballot,” Wyman said. “Fortunately, there’s a very simple solution – get your ballot in early to make sure your voice is heard.”

Washington’s Office of Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.