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Voting & Elections Toolkits 2022

Voter Registration in Delaware

Eligibility

  • Age: Turning 18 before Election Day
  • Formerly incarcerated individuals: May vote if sentence has been completed and not convicted of a disqualifying felony. Individuals on probation may vote. More information for incarcerated individuals.
  • Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Residence: Must be a resident of Delaware
  • College students can either vote absentee in their home state or register to vote in DE
  • Check to see if you are already registered

More information on Delaware voter eligibility.

Deadline

  • Voter registration deadlines are determined by the date of the election.
  • April 4, 2022 is the registration deadline for the 2022 Presidential Primary election
  • August 20, 2022 is the registration deadline for the 2022 State Primary election
  • October 15, 2022 is the deadline for in-person registration and postmark of mail-in registration for the general election.
  • Election Calendar

Online registration

To use the online voter registration system you must have a current and valid driver’s license, learner’s permit or non-driver photo identification card issued by the DE Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Online registration form (in English)

Online registration form (in Spanish)

Mail-in registration

Printable forms (in English)

Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.

Choosing a political party:   

You may choose a political party affiliation when you register, if you do not, you will be registered as unaffiliated.     

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation, use the voter registration form online, or apply by mail (PDF).

Cancelling registration

To cancel your voter registration, fill out the cancellation form.

Directory of Department of Elections Offices.

ID Requirements for Delaware Voters

ID Requirements for Registration

Online Registration

For online voter registration, a Delaware drivers license or state ID is required.

Mail-in Registration

An ID is not required for mail-in registration, but you must provide one of the documents listed on the form to verify residence:

  • Delaware Drivers License or State ID Card, or
  • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter

ID Requirements for Voting

All Voters

Voters must provide proof of identity in order to vote.  Proof of identity should include either a photograph or signature of the voter.

More information on ID requirements.

Where to get an ID

Department of Motor Vehicles

Obtaining a Driver’s License

Casting a Ballot in Delaware

Important Dates

  • State Primary Election: September 13, 2022
  • General Election: November 8, 2022
  • Early voting: Delaware does not allow early in-person voting except for absentee ballots. Early voting will be available starting in 2022.

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

  • Absentee ballots are mailed to voters at least 5 days before the election.  
  • Absentee ballots for the November 8 general election will be available no later than October 30, 2022.
  • Absentee ballots for all elections are due to the department of elections by the close of the polls in order to be counted.  

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

In order to apply for and receive an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following requirements:

  • The voter is in the public service of the United States or the State of Delaware and is unable to come to the polls.
  • Spouses and dependents who live with or accompany public servants of the United States, the State of Delaware, or members of the Uniformed Services are also able to vote by absentee ballot.
  • The voter’s work, schooling, or care responsibilities prevents him or her from coming to the polls.
  • This applies caretakers, students, and otherwise eligible persons who are incarcerated.
  • The voter is sick or temporarily or permanently physically disabled.
  • The voter is on vacation.
  • The voter’s religious beliefs prevent him or her from coming to the polls.

Downloadable Application for Absentee Ballot (English)

 

 

Polling places and hours

  • Use the Polling Place Locator to find your polling place
  • For a general election or primaries, polls in Delaware are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Time off to vote: Delaware does not require employers to give employees time off to vote.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

  • Lyft provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities
  • Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:

Help for voters with disabilities

Ballots

Where to get more info on candidates

Referenda

Sample ballots

Elections

Primaries vs. general elections

  • Primary elections are conducted to select each party’s candidates in the general election.
  • In Delaware, a voter must be a member of a political party in order to vote in that party’s primary.
  • In a general election, voters are not required to have a party affiliation.

 

Jurisdiction

Offices/Measures That May Appear on the Ballot

Federal (even years)

President/Vice-President (elected every four years; next election in 2020)

Senator (elected every six years for staggered terms; next election in 2020)

Representative (elected every two years)

State (even years)

Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Insurance Commissioner(elected every four years; next election in 2020)

Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor(elected every four years; next election in 2022)

State Senator (elected every four years except after reapportionment)

State Representative (elected every two years)

Statewide ballot measures

Municipal 

School Board(next in 2020)

Offices based on municipal charter

Local ballot measures

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

Important Dates

Election Day is November 3, 2020

Dates of elections in Delaware

Who conducts elections?

  • The State Election Commissioner of the Department of Elections oversees statewide and local elections
  • The County Department of Elections maintains voter rolls for each county.
  • Municipal Boards of Elections prepare ballots and administer balloting for each municipality under supervision of the Department of Elections

Voter Bill of Rights

Delaware does not have a Voter Bill of Rights

 

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

Complaints about election violations should be made to the State Election Commissioner (PDF). 

 

Campaign finance

Campaign Finance Reporting System provides access to candidates’ election committee and Political Action Committee campaign finance filings

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials

General Resources on Voting and Elections

General Resources on Voting and Elections

Election Protection Hotlines

1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)

1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) (en Español)

1-888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) (Asian multilingual assistance)

1-844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) (Arabic)

Voter Registration & Election Day Resources

Find useful voter information including:

  • Local Election Office and Contact Information
  • Address, Telephone and Email for Local Election Offices
  • Upcoming Federal Election Dates and Deadlines
  • Upcoming State Election Dates and Deadlines
  • Eligibility Requirements
  • Identification Requirements
  • Voter Materials Transmission Options
  • State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered? Where’s my Ballot?

Population-Specific information and Resources

Voting Rights: Laws, Cases, Policy

Voter Engagement

Voter Education

Campaign Finance/Funding Information

Primary Sources, Lesson Plans & Exhibits

Disclaimer

Librarians from the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), a Round Table of the American Library Association (ALA), created these reference guides. These guides are intended for informational purposes only and are not in any way intended to be legal advice.

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These guides are designated with a Creative Commons license and re-use and modification for educational purposes is encouraged.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 

This work by Principia College Library is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International