Be An Informed Voter

The United States is a republic. That means we elect people to represent us in government. They pass laws and decide how to spend public money on our behalf.


Do you know who represents you?


You can find your federal and state representatives here:


You can find your city and county voting districts here:


Our Guide to Voting
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Federal

Congress includes a US Senate and US House of Representative. Congress members pass laws and budgets that affect the whole country.


There are two U.S. senators representing all of Washington:



The state is then divided into congressional districts (CDs), with one U.S. representative per district. There are four congressional districts that include parts of King County:


State

The state legislature passes laws and budgets that affect just Washington state.


There are two state representatives and one state senator for each state legislative district (LD). There are 17 state legislative districts that include parts of King County.


You can look up your state legislative district, learn about your elected representatives, search for bills, and more, on the state's legislative web site.


You can download maps of the legislative districts here:


County

We also elect people to represent us on the King County Council. They pass local policies and budget that affect just King County.


The county is divided into nine districts.


You can look up your councilmember here:


You can learn about the King County Council and the things they vote on here:

Be sure to stay in touch!

Relationships matter in civic engagement. Once someone takes office, contact them. Let them know what you care about. You can arrange a meeting, or just send a note. An easy way to stay engaged is to sign up for action alerts. When you respond, an email goes out to your elected officials about the issue you care about.


You can find The Arc's alerts here:

The Arc National | Action Center


Here is a guide to help you draft your own letter or comment:

  • Not Sure if You Can Vote?

    In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice said:


    • States cannot stop you from voting just because you have a guardian. 
    • States cannot make you take extra steps to prove you can vote.
    • You can get help voting from a person you choose. This can be in person, by mail, or with your ballot.

    People with disabilities, including people with guardians, deserve to vote.


    Citation: US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. (2024, April 18). The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities. ADA.gov. https://www.ada.gov/resources/protecting-voter-rights/ 


    Voting Rights

  • Tips to Help Someone Vote

    Top 2 tips

    1. Talk about what's on the ballot 
    2. Help them make a voting plan

    Tips from The Arc

  • Questions for federal candidates

    Many services that people with disabilities use are funded by the federal government. You might want to ask candidates and elected leaders these questions

    Topics & Questions