Why were citizens of Washington not able to vote for president or V.P.?

Citizens of Washington were not able to vote for president or vice president until the 1889 admission of Washington as a state in the United States. Before statehood, Washington was a territory, and territorial residents did not have the right to vote in federal elections. Additionally, the U.S. Constitution only grants voting rights for these offices to citizens of states. Once Washington became a state, its citizens gained the right to participate in presidential elections.