A quick guide to voting in Washington

Washington's general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Election Day schedule: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

How to find your polling place: Your polling place is listed on your voter-registration card.

If you can't find your card:
· King County: www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollingplace or call 206-296-VOTE
· Snohomish County: www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Auditor/Divisions/Elections_Voting/ or call 425-388-3422

What do you do if you registered to vote but your name is not on the list?

First, get help from a poll worker — you may be at the wrong polling place. Or you may be given a provisional ballot, which lets you vote subject to verification later. Provisional ballots are given to people whose eligibility is in question, those whose names may have been purged erroneously, or first-time voters who registered by mail and don't have identification. Provisional ballots are the safety net so that no voter coming to the polls will be turned away.

What if you didn't get your absentee ballot? You can pick one up at the King County Elections Office, King County Administration Building, Room 553, through Monday at 6 p.m. If you can't do that, absentee voters can still vote at the polls. If you are listed on the county election rolls as an absentee voter, that will be noted in the poll book, and you'll have to vote using a provisional ballot.

How do you make sure your absentee ballot is mailed in time?

Mail-in ballots must be signed and postmarked — or delivered to your county elections office — by Election Day. If you wait until Election Day to mail your ballot, make sure the Postal Service still has a pickup scheduled from that mailbox — or take your ballot to a post office that is still open. You may also deliver the completed ballot to any polling place on Election Day before polls close at 8 p.m.

Do you need an ID to vote?

You may need to show ID, particularly if you're a first-time voter. To be safe, bring your driver's license, or a paycheck, utility bill or government document that includes your name and street address. Federal law requires that first-time voters who registered by mail present I.D. before voting on Election Day unless the state has already verified their identity.

What if you're not sure about voting procedures?

Instructions on how to vote should be posted prominently at polling places. And don't be afraid to ask poll workers for help — that's what they're there for.

What if you experience problems?

The League of Women Voters and other organizations have set up a toll-free hotline — 1-866-OUR-VOTE — so you can report Election Day problems and receive advice.

What if the lines are long?

Turnout is expected to be high, and there may be lines in some precincts, particularly at peak times before and after working hours. You can avoid the lines by going at nonpeak times.

Polls close at 8 p.m. What if you're still in line? If you're in line at a polling place, don't worry. You'll still be able to vote.

Can you vote in the presidential race and leave the rest blank? Sure. There is no requirement that ballots be completely filled out.

Are cellphones allowed in the voting booth? Cellphones are allowed in the voting booth. However, you must be talking quietly enough that no one else in the polling place can hear the conversation, particularly if you are discussing candidates or issues. That could be construed as electioneering.

What if you want to vote outside your polling place ? If you vote outside your polling place, you're entitled to a provisional ballot, which will be set aside and verified before being counted. Poll workers are trained to offer such a ballot if your name doesn't appear in the poll books, but you may have to ask for one.

What should you do if you vote a provisional ballot? Keep the receipt from this ballot. You can match up the number on the King County Elections Web site, www.metrokc.gov/elections/, to see if your vote was counted. And you'll be given an explanation why, if it wasn't.

What if you are hospitalized?

A voter admitted to a hospital no earlier than five days before an election and confined to the hospital on Election Day may apply in writing for an absentee ballot to be delivered by messenger on Election Day.

Compiled by a Seattle Times staff reporter from information provided by elections offices and the League of Women Voters.