Today is the last day for Washington residents who aren't registered to vote to do something to fix that if they want to cast a ballot in next week's general election.

The easy way to register, online or by mail, closed weeks ago. But Washington law allows a backup for the true procrastinators. You can go to your local county elections office in person and sign up. Don't know where your county elections office is? Check the map here. Be sure you don't show up after they close, because some counties have cut back the hours that their offices stay open as a result of budget cuts.

The normal restrictions apply: You must be at least 18 by next Tuesday. An American citizen and a resident of Washington state. You can't have had your voting rights revoked and not restored for some misdeed. More details can be found here.

If you're not registered, you'll miss the opportunity to vote in one of those hot Spokane City Council races, or all the Valley contests, or that special state Senate election in the 7th Legislative District, or to weigh in on the state wide ballot "food fight" over the labeling of genetically modified foods.

And you wouldn't want to do that, would you?

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