Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Registration reminder: Sign up by Monday

Washington residents who want to vote in the general election but just haven't got around to registering have until Monday to sign up "the easy ways."

The easy ways are by Internet, by going to the Secretary of State's website, or by mailing in a voter registration form.

The slightly harder way -- which might also be regarded as "the old way", because that's what folks once had to do -- is to go down to your county elections office and fill out the form in person. If you miss Monday's deadline, you can still do that until Halloween. But let's face it, if you won't do it on the Internet in the comfort of your own home, and maybe in your pajamas, how likely are you to make a special trip to the county offices?

You are eligible to vote if you are:

At least 18 years old by Nov. 8, which is election day this year.
A citizen of the United States.
A resident of Washington state

So if all those apply, you can vote unless you are :

A convicted felon who has not had your voting rights restored.
Someone declared mentally incompetent and ineligible to vote by a court.

So if you can pass this 5-point test, you can register.

An estimate released by the Secretary of State's office suggests that about one in five Washington residents who are eligible to vote are not registered.

So if 20 percent aren't even registered, and only 60 percent bother to vote, and the winning candidate gets 51 percent, how is that an example of "majority rules?"



The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.