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Voting & Tax Information

Locate information for voting, tax forms, publications, and local sources of assistance.

Taxes

Most income tax materials can be downloaded using the form and publication search on the IRS website

They also can be ordered from the IRS for delivery by mail.

Exception: IRS directs employers to efile 1099 series.

IRS help in various languages

The following basic tax forms and instruction books for 2024 are currently available at all branches of the Bellingham Public Library. Staff can assist you with printing most of the other forms if needed.

  • 1040 Forms in English
  • 1040-SR forms in English
  • 1040 and 1040-SR Instruction Books in English
  • 1040 forms in Spanish
  • 1040-SR forms in Spanish
  • 1040 and 1040-SR Instruction Books in Spanish

Free tax assistance options in Whatcom County for 2024 are listed on the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition tax help page.

This page includes AARP Tax Aid, VITA, Hearing Speech and Deaf Center, and the Opportunity Council’s Tax Hotline.

AARP Tax Aid and the Tax Hotline provide assistance in Spanish.

Internal Revenue Service
Download tax forms, file your tax return, get your refund status, pay your tax bill, or get help.

Whatcom Asset Building Coalition
Locate all the free tax assistance available in Whatcom County

Tax assistance resources are listed on the Business & Finance page in the Small Business Resource Guide.

Voting

There are three ways in Washington State to register to vote:

  1. Online
    Register online, 24 hours a day at the Washington Secretary of State’s VoteWA
    website. To register online you will need a Washington State Driver license or
    Washington State ID card.
  2. By mail
    Download and print a voter registration form and mail it to Whatcom County, PO Box 369, Bellingham, WA 98227-0369. Forms are available in Español and other languages.
  3. In person
    Register to vote in person at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office, 311 Grand Avenue Suite 103.

Not sure if you are registered or need to change your address?

Go to Washington Secretary of State’s VoteWA website or check with the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office.

Former felons voting rights

If you were convicted of a felony in a Washington State Court, your right to vote is
restored automatically, once you are no longer under the authority of the Department of Corrections. But you must register to vote, or re-register to vote.

Local

View your sample ballot, and the online Whatcom County Official Local Voter’s pamphlet.

State

View the General Election Voters’ Guide, the local voters; guide for your county, or login to VoteWA for a personalized Voters’ guide.

Whatcom County Auditor’s Office Ballot Drop Box locations

Your ballot will identify your voting districts. You can also check by map through the
Whatcom County Auditor’s Office.

Local
Find the dates for upcoming local elections, including registration deadlines.

State and Federal
Find the dates for state and federal elections, including registration deadlines.

Local
Results for Whatcom County.

State
Results for Washington State, both current and past election results.

Presidential
The Electoral College totals determine who wins a presidential election.

State
Find your district representatives in the Washington State Legislature and their contact
information.

Federal
Find your Senators and Representatives in the United States Congress and their contact
information.

Political Parties
Use Vote Smart to find a list of political parties in all states. Includes contact information and links to websites.

These resources help you verify facts and claims made by candidates.

Fact Check: A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of
Pennsylvania. Nonprofit, nonpartisan, focused on being a ‘consumer advocate’ for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.

OpenSecrets.org: Center for Responsive Politics. Nonprofit, nonpartisan, focused on tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on eections and public policy.

Politifact: Nonprofit, nonpartisan, focused on looking at specific statements made by politicians and rates them for accuracy. A companion website is PunditFact, a site devoted to fact-checking talking heads (tv and social media commentators).

ProPublica: Nonprofit, independent newsroom, focused on a range of topics including government and politics.

Snopes: Owned by Snopes Media Group, focused on investigating legends, hoaxes, folklore, and misinformation.

Other resources

AllSides: Not a fact-checking site, but a business that curates stories from right, center, and left learning media so readers can compare how bias influences reporting.

Ballotpedia: Nonprofit, nonpartisan, focused on providing a digital encylopedia of American politics and elections. Covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy.

Local
The League of Women Voters Bellingham/Whatcom County is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. They hold General Election Forums throughout the county, and offer access to recordings of those
forums on their website.

Whatcom County Auditor’s Office
www.co.whatcom.wa.us/auditor
360-676-6740  

Local Newspapers
Read and search local newspapers for election information. Newspapers are in various formats, including the option to read entire daily editions of the Bellingham Herald and other Washington newspaper in full-page image format.

State and National

Washington State Public Disclosure Commission
www.pdc.wa.gov
1-877-601-2828 

Washington State Wire
The Wire is an independent nonpartisan news gathering organization focusing on Washington state government and the policies that affect Washington residents’ daily lives.

USA—Voting and Elections
Use this federal government website to find answers to common questions about voting in the United States, including the presidential election process and voting resources.

State
Explore your own voting district’s candidate financial information using the Public Disclosure Commission website. Go further and research financing for political committees, ballot measure committees, lobbying, and all types of candidates.

National
Explore financial contributions to candidates for the U.S. House, Senate, and Presidency on the Federal Election Commission website.

updated 01/24/2024