Time is of the essence for citizens wishing to weigh in on which candidates will best serve the county, state and nation.

Today, Oct. 4, is the last day for Washington state residents to register to vote in the Nov. 4 general election. New voters and anyone who has undergone a change of address or name must notify King County Elections immediately. Residents new to the state have until Oct. 20 to register in person at the King County Elections headquarters, 919 S.W. Grady Way in Renton.

Ballots will be mailed to registered absentee voters Oct. 15-17. Military personnel, overseas and out-of-state absentee ballots were mailed Friday, according to King County Elections.

Applications to vote are available online in several languages at

www.kingcounty.gov/elections/. They can also be picked up at public libraries or King County Elections headquarters.

The Federal Way Regional Library is offering registration help in its lobby and at its information desk.

The library is also attempting to provide information on the candidates, librarian John Sheller said.

“We do show people how the application works and where to send it,” he said.

Additionally, the King County Library System has set up a Web site, www.kcls.org/infovote/. Here, citizens can learn more about voting, polling stations, the candidates and issues. Important dates and an election calendar are also featured.

A group of residents stopped by the library asking for registration materials, Sheller said. He believes they are informally registering residents at The Commons mall. Sheller was unsure when this process was taking place.

To be eligible to vote in Washington state, one must be a resident of the United States and Washington, be at least 18 years old and not have been convicted of a felony crime. King and Pierce counties are the only Washington state counties still accepting absentee ballots and operating poll stations. This will be the last year in which polling stations are available in the state, King County Elections spokeswoman Megan Coppersmith said.

King County Elections personnel expect an increase in voting for the upcoming election, she said. As of Thursday, 1,056,299 county residents were registered to vote, Coppersmith said.

“We are expecting a record-high turnout,” she said.

Contact Jacinda Howard: jhoward@fedwaymirror.com

To see if your voter registration information is updated and complete, visit the King County Elections home page at www.kingcounty.gov/elections or call (206) 296-8683. If you registered to vote and did not receive a ballot, call King County Elections before Oct. 24. A new ballot can be mailed, King County Elections spokeswoman Megan Coppersmith said.

Register to vote here:

• Federal Way Regional Library, 34200 1st Way S. (253) 838-3668. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Federal Way 320th Library, 848 S. 320th St. (253) 839-0257. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• King County Elections headquarters, 919 S.W. Grady Way, in Renton. www.kingcounty.gov/elections/registration.aspx/. (206) 296-0109. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.