Voter Information

The Wapato School District encourages every eligible person to register to vote and participate fully in all elections.

Voter Registration and Updates

To register to vote in the state of Washington, you must be:

A citizen of the United States
A legal resident of Washington state
At least 18 years old by election day
Not under the authority of the Department of Corrections

There are three different ways a Yakima County resident can register to vote or update their voter registration information. It can be completed online, by mail or in-person.

Registering Online: Applications must be received by a Yakima County Elections Official no later than 8-days before the election. If completing it online the deadline is midnight. Click HERE for online registration.
Registering by Mail: Applications must be received by a Yakima County Elections Official no later than 8-days before the election. If completing it by mail the deadline is the close of business.
Registering In-Person: Applicants must appear in-person at the Yakima County Auditor's Office no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election.

For more information contact the Yakima County Elections Division at 509-574-1340

The next election day is February 13, 2024.

Mail-in ballots for the February 13, 2024 election will begin arriving in mailboxes the week of January 22, 2024. Once you have voted your ballot you can mail it it back to the Yakima County elections department or you can drop it in any of the ballot dropboxes available throughout the county. In Wapato there is a dropbox located behind the Wapato Branch of Yakima Valley Libraries found off of 3rd Street. If you return your ballot by mail it needs to be postmarked by February 13, 2024.

Property Tax Exemption for Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities

Available to:
Taxpayers who meet one of the following requirements as of December 31 of the year before the taxes are due:

At least 61 years of age or older.
Retired from regular gainful employment due to a disability.
Veteran of the armed forces of the United States receiving compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs at one of the following:

>Combined service-connected evaluation rating of 80% or higher.

>Total disability rating for a service-connected disability without regard to evaluation percent.

Program benefits:
The qualifying applicant receives a reduction in the amount of property taxes due. The amount of the reduction is based on the applicant's income, the value of the residence, and the local levy rates.

Qualifying activity:
Own and occupy a primary residence in the State of Washington and have combined disposable income of Income Threshold 3 or less. Beginning in 2020, Income Threshold 3 is based on the county median household income of the county where the residence is located. See income thresholds.

Reporting/documentation requirements:

Completion of Application for Senior Citizen and Disabled Persons Exemption from Real Property Taxes and a Combined Disposable Income Worksheet.
Disabled person must provide written acknowledgment by Social Security or Veterans Administration or Proof of Disability Affidavit.
Renewal required at least once every six years as determined by local assessor.

Must report Changes in Status affecting program eligibility and/or benefit level.