Dear fellow college-aged students,

I write to you with important information and a sense of urgency. Today is the voter registration deadline (online and by mail) and address change deadline for the August 1 primary elections. If you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to fill out some paperwork and fulfill your civic duties!

The mayoral race is in full throttle, but unfortunately, many college-aged students are in a state of flux during the summertime, meaning we’re less invested in local politics than we would be during the academic year.

Trust me, I know—I’m one of them, and I understand it can be easy to disengage from politics during the summer months when there is less structure and academic discourse.

The process of figuring out how and when to vote can seem unclear, and at times it can feel too burdensome to navigate those murky waters. But believe me: it’s worth it.

This letter explains if you can vote, how to do so and by when. It’s for those of you who are generally confused about deadlines, as well as those of you who are unsure if you're considered a Seattle resident.

So here’s the deal: you can vote in the mayoral election if:

• You are a U.S. citizen
• You are a legal resident of Washington State
• Your primary residence is in the City of Seattle
• You are 18 years old by election day
• You are not disqualified from voting due to court order
• You are not under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington felony conviction

But what if you live in a different state during the summer months? Or what if you live in Seattle only during the academic year? Here's the scoop on how you can vote for Seattle's next mayor:

If you’ve never registered to vote before and are a Seattle resident:

You must register online or by mail by the end of the day in order to vote in the primaries.

If you miss the deadline, you can register in person until July 24 at:

King County Administration Building
500 4th Avenue, Room 440
Seattle, WA 98104

If you’re registered to vote in Seattle but will be out of town during the election:

You have a couple of different options.

Your ballot can be mailed to you. It must be completed and postmarked on or before Election Day. Contact King County Elections to do this.

If you’ll have access to the internet and a printer during the time of the election, you can download and print your ballot. You will then need to mail in your ballot, and it must be postmarked by Election Day.

And if you won’t be able to return your regular mail ballot or access your ballot online, you can request a special ballot. Email, fax or return the form in person.

If you’re from out of state and are not yet registered to vote in Seattle:

You are considered a new voter.

If you have a Washington State ID, you can register online or by mail by the end of the day. If you don’t have a Washington State ID, you need to mail in this form today or register in person by July 24 at:

King County Administration Building
500 4th Avenue, Room 440
Seattle, WA 98104

You do not need a Washington State ID to mail in your registration or register in person—just your social security number and a valid Seattle residential address.

If you’re registered to vote in Washington State outside the City of Seattle:

If you have a valid Washington State ID or driver’s license, you must change your address online by the end of the day.

You can also call 206-296-VOTE (8683) or email your name, date of birth, old residential and mailing address and new residential and mailing address to elections@kingcounty.gov by the end of the day.

If you don’t have a valid Washington State ID, you must mail in your voter registration form with your address change listed by the end of the day.

For more information on address changes, visit the elections website.

And if you miss the address change deadline, all hope is not lost. Contact King County Elections to see if they’ll still give you a ballot.

I encourage you to do whatever it takes to register for the mayoral election because the voices of college-aged residents matter.

We tend to hold different values and beliefs than our older counterparts, especially in terms of issues key to the upcoming election like housing, transit, taxes and homelessness. Our votes have the potential to significantly impact the election.

Register today because the policies set forth by Seattle’s next mayor will have an impact on you.

Register today so the opinions of your uncles, teachers and bosses aren’t the only ones accounted for in the election.

Register today so you can say you were a part of arguably the most exciting mayoral race in Seattle’s history.

Register today because your voice matters.

Sincerely,

A college student who is voting to defy the “lazy, entitled millennial” stereotype.

P.S. Today’s deadline applies only to the primary election on Aug. 1. If you missed these deadlines, you still have the chance to vote in November’s general election. See the upcoming important deadlines here:

• July 3 (TODAY): Last day to register for the primary election (online and by mail)
• July 24: Last day to register for the primary election (in person)
• August 1: Primaries
• October 9: Last day to register for the general election (online and by mail)
• October 30: Last day to register for the general election (in person)
• November 7: General election