Felony Convictions
Losing the Right to Vote:
If you have been convicted of a felony, you lose the right to vote until it is restored.
You do not lose the right to vote for a misdemeanor conviction, or a conviction in juvenile court.
Restoring the Right to Vote:
- If you were convicted in Washington State Superior Court, your right to vote is restored as long as you are not either in prison or on community custody for that felony with the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC). If you have questions about whether you are on community custody with DOC, call 1-800-430-9674.
- If you were convicted in another state or in federal court, your right to vote is restored as long as you are not incarcerated for that felony.
Once your right to vote is restored, you must register to vote in order to receive a ballot. Click here to register to vote.
Maintaining the Right to Vote:
- Do not commit another felony.
- If you owe fines, restitution, or other court costs for your felony conviction, and you fail to make 3 payments in a 12-month period, a petition can be filed in court asking the sentencing court to revoke your right to vote. The sentencing court can revoke your right to vote if it decides that you willfully failed to pay. The sentencing court can also restore your right to vote once you make a good-faith effort to pay.
Screening the Voter Registration Rolls for Ineligible Felons:
DOC and the state court system provide the Secretary of State’s Office with lists of felons who are ineligible to vote. Three times a year, the Secretary of State uses that information to screen the list of registered voters for ineligible felons.
If you are registered to vote, but are ineligible because your right to vote is not restored, you will be sent a letter explaining that your registration will be cancelled in 30 days. The letter provides information on how to dispute the pending cancellation by contacting your county elections office. If you do not dispute the cancellation, your voter registration will automatically be cancelled after 30 days.
You can register to vote once your right to vote is restored.