Voters Experiencing Homelessness

You can still register to vote even if you do not have a permanent address.

For residential addresses, state law allows voters to register at their shelter address, a public library that they go to, or even a cross street that they live near. But you do need to provide a valid mailing address so we can mail your ballot to you. A mailing address can be a homeless shelter, a relative, a service agency, or a friend. Basically any mailing address (PO Box or residential street address) which agrees to receive the person’s mail.

Because people experiencing homelessness often have a hard time connecting with their mail, they can visit any of Pierce County’s public libraries on Election Day and have a replacement ballot printed for free. They can complete the ballot at the library and deposit it at the library.  

When registering to vote, if you don't have a State ID or Drivers License number, you can provide the the last four digits of your Social Security number. How to register to vote:

  1.  Register online, 24 hours a day, at the Washington Secretary of State’s website. To register online, you will need a current Washington State driver license or a current Washington State ID card. If you do not have either of these, you can still register by mail or in-person.
  2. By mail. Download and print a voter registration form and mail it to Pierce County Elections. Forms are available in many languages.
  3. In-person. You can register to vote in-person at the Pierce County Elections Office in Tacoma.