Burlington, Washington Public Records

Residents can register to vote online at https://voter.votewa.gov (Washington's statewide voter registration portal), by mail, or in person at the Elections Office. Online registration requires a Washington State driver's license or ID card. The registration deadline is 8 days before election day for online and mail registration, though same-day registration is available in-person at the Elections Office or voting centers through 8:00 PM on election day. The state requires voters to provide their date of birth and last four digits of Social Security number or driver's license number. The city holds municipal elections for mayor and city council positions. Burlington has a mayor and six council members elected at-large. Municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years, with the next regular municipal election scheduled for November 2025. Council positions are typically staggered, with three seats up for election at a time. Candidate filing information, local ballot measures, and voter pamphlets are published by the county Elections Office and available on the city website at www.burlingtonwa.gov. Washington voters don't have assigned polling places in the traditional sense since all voting is conducted by mail. However, ballot drop boxes are located throughout Skagit County, including multiple locations in Burlington (typically at City Hall and other public facilities). Drop box locations can be found at www.skagitcounty.net/elections. Voters may also vote in person at the county Elections Office or designated voting centers during the final days before and on election day. Ballots must be postmarked by election day or deposited in drop boxes by 8:00 PM on election day. Election records that are public in Washington include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes only), campaign finance reports (filed with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission at www.pdc.wa.gov), candidate declarations and financial statements, precinct-level election results, and ballot measures. Individual ballot secrecy is protected, but voter history (which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is public record. In the November 2024 presidential election, Skagit County reported approximately 64-67% voter turnout, with over 70,000 ballots cast from approximately 107,000 registered voters countywide. On November 3, 2026, Burlington and Skagit County voters will decide numerous federal, state, and local races. Washington's U.S. Senator Patty Murray's seat is not up in 2026 (next election 2028), but U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's seat will be on the ballot in 2024, not 2026. However, Washington's gubernatorial election occurs in 2024, so 2026 will not feature a governor's race. The 2026 ballot will include all U.S. House of Representatives seats (Burlington is in Washington's 2nd Congressional District), Washington State Legislature positions (State Senate District 40 and House District 40 represent Burlington), Skagit County offices including County Commissioners, Auditor, Assessor, Treasurer, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, and potentially Skagit County Superior Court and District Court judges. The city may also have municipal races or local ballot measures in 2025 or 2027 depending on the election cycle. Washington voters receive mail-in ballots automatically approximately 18-20 days before each election. Voters can track their ballot status online at https://voter.votewa.gov using the "Where's My Ballot?" tool, which shows when the ballot was mailed, when it was returned, and when the signature was verified and counted. Accessible voting options are available at the Elections Office for voters with disabilities. Military and overseas voters can receive ballots electronically and return them by mail or fax.