Delaware has introduced Vote by Mail and Same-Day Registration. Download our 2022 Primary Voting Guide to learn more.
Delaware Voting Information
Voting is the foundation of our democracy. Every issue that you care about, every issue that our communities care about, and every issue that affects our daily lives is impacted by one simple action: a vote. Find out more about Delaware voting information below.
The best way you can prepare to vote? Make a voting plan.
Knowing how and when to register, where and when to vote, and what options are available for alternate methods of voting is vital to ensuring that your voice is carried from the checkmark on your ballot all the way to a final decision in an election.
Primary Elections
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Voter Registration
How Do I Know If I’m Eligible to Vote?
Generally, you are eligible to vote if you are:
- A citizen of the United States;
- A resident of Delaware;
- Will be 18 years old by the date of the General Election.
- A person with a previous conviction on their record who has served their time, including some people with felonies.
- Note: There are some felony convictions that disqualify a person from being able to vote, even after they have served their time. For more information, read the list of ineligible convictions on the Department of Elections website and see this flowchart created by the U.S. Department of Justice.
How Do I Register to Vote?
You can register to vote in Delaware online, by mail, or at certain government offices.
How Do I Check My Registration Status?
Checking your registration status is vital to a healthy voting plan. Occasionally, states and local election offices will purge their registration rosters of individuals that have moved or haven’t voted in a long time, and sometimes, an error may occur that removes an eligible voter.
Checking in on your registration status prior to the registration deadline (see below) ensures that you’re counted and eligible to vote in the upcoming election.
Additionally, some individuals may want to change their party affiliation prior to an election or primary. Checking registration ensures that you’re registered for your preferred party.
Check your registration status online at ivote.de.us.
2022 Election Dates
September 13, 2022
Primary Election
November 8, 2022
General Election
Deadline Information
Same-Day Voter Registration
This year, Delaware will introduce same-day voter registration. Same-day voter registration allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot all on the same day — including on Election Day. Same-day registration does not allow for registered voters to change party affiliation before or on the day of the primary or general election. See “Ways You Can Vote” for more information.
More Election Dates
- For additional election-related dates, please visit the State of Delaware Website.
School Board Elections
Note: You do not have to be registered to vote in school board elections in Delaware. To vote, you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States and the State of Delaware.
- Live in the school district for which the election is being conducted.
- Be 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.
Voter Registration Deadlines
September 13, 2022
Delaware allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot all on the same day — including on Primary Election Day.
November 8, 2022
Delaware allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot all on the same day — including on General Election Day.
The Issues You Care About
Ways You Can Vote
Now that you have registered to vote, you can plan how you will cast your ballot. Below are the options Delaware voters have.
Same-Day Registration
Same-day voter registration allows any qualified voter to register to vote and cast a ballot all on the same day — including on Election Day.
You must register with a political party to participate in the primary election, and brand new voters can do so with SDR. However, previously registered voters may not change party affiliation using SDR.
Same-Day Registration Process
To register and vote during the early voting period from August 31, 2022 to September 11, 2022, you must visit an early voting site in your county. To find an early voting site near you, visit ivote.de.gov. To register and vote on Election Day, September 13, 2022, you must visit your designated Election Day polling place. To find your Election Day polling place, visit ivote.de.gov.
To register, you must submit a voter registration application and present a copy of a current and valid government issued photo identification OR a current document displaying the name and address of the person registering to vote (see the “Bring ID” section on this page). Once registered, you are permitted to cast your ballot on the same day.
Bring ID
To register to vote and cast your ballot on the same day, you must bring one of the following forms of ID:
- State-issued photo ID
- Utility bill
- Paycheck
- Any government document with the voter’s name and address
Vote by Mail (No Reason Needed)
Delaware now offers vote by mail for the state’s non-presidential primary and general elections. All eligible Delaware voters now have the option to request their ballot by mail, which may be completed and returned by mail or to a designated drop-box or elections office location.
Vote by mail is different from absentee voting: voters do not have to provide a reason for choosing to vote by mail, they can simply request their mail-in ballot. Postage for the envelope containing the ballot is pre-paid by the Department of Elections.
Apply for a Mail Ballot
To request a mail ballot, you must print and complete the PDF vote by mail application on the Department of Elections website or request a vote by mail ballot online at ivote.de.gov.
You must request a mail ballot no later than seven days before the election and return the completed ballot to the election’s office in your county by the close of polls on Election Day (8:00 PM).
Return Your Mail Ballot
Mail ballots will be mailed out starting 30 days before the election date. When you receive your mail ballot, fill it out completely, sign the voter oath on the envelope, and include one of the following forms of identification in the box on the back of the envelope:
- Last four (4) digits of voter’s social security number
- Delaware Driver’s License number
- Delaware State ID number.
Place the security label over the identification information. Return the ballot to the Dept. of Elections office for your county by:
Placing the ballot in the U.S. Mail
Dropping the ballot in a secure ballot drop box location (find ballot drop box locations by going to https://elections.delaware.gov/services/voter/votebymail/index.shtml)
Voting In-Person on Election Day
Delaware voters can cast their ballot in person on Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Find Your Polling Place
To find your polling place, use the Delaware Department of Elections website. When you register to vote, you should also receive a postcard in the mail with your polling place.
Bring ID
Voters must bring one of the following forms of ID:
- State-issued photo ID
- Utility bill
- Paycheck
- Any government document with the voter’s name and address
In the event you do not have one of the above forms of ID, you can sign an affidavit of affirmation that you are the person listed on the election district record.
Tips
Other helpful tips:
- If the polls close while you’re still in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
- If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
- If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
Voting In-Person Early
As of January 1, 2022, registered voters are allowed to vote in-person during 10 days before any primary, general, or special election, up to and including the Saturday and Sunday immediately before the election.
For the 2022 Elections, early voting in Delaware will begin on Wednesday August 31 and run until Sunday September 11. There will be NO early voting on Sunday September 4 or Monday September 5.
Find Your Early Voting Location
Find early voting poling place hours: https://elections.delaware.gov/information/elections/votinglocations.shtml#ev-sites.
Bring ID
Voters must bring one of the following forms of ID:
- State-issued photo ID
- Utility bill
- Paycheck
- Any government document with the voter’s name and address
In the event you do not have one of the above forms of ID, you can sign an affidavit of affirmation that you are the person listed on the election district record.
Registering to Vote
If you are not already registered to vote in Delaware, you can register at the early voting site or your polling place on Election Day — and cast your ballot right after.
See Same-Day Registration section on the last page for more information.
Provisional Ballot
Anyone denied the right to vote at the polls, for any reason, may still cast a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are mandated by section 15482 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA).
Provisional Ballot Process
To use a provisional ballot, each voter whose eligibility to vote is uncertain must provide a written affirmation, signed in front of an election official at the polling place, stating that he or she is a registered voter and is eligible to vote in the election.
Election officials must provide information to the voter on how the process works and how to find out if his or her ballot was cast—and if not, why not.
What if I am denied?
Make sure to ask for a provisional ballot if you believe you are a registered, eligible voter but you were denied the right to vote when you showed up at your polling place. If you have any questions regarding your right to vote, please call 1-866-OUR-VOTE regarding Election Day assistance problems.
Absentee Ballot
If you are a registered voter and are unable to vote in person on Election Day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. To vote absentee you must qualify for one of the reasons listed on the form. Download Absentee Ballot Request form.
Absentee Ballot Process
Absentee ballot process:
Absentee ballots are mailed out 35 days before a primary and 45 days before a general election. When returning the absentee ballot, remember to read all the instructions and to sign and date the voucher and envelope.
You may mail back your ballot or drop your ballot off at your county’s election office. Secure ballot drop boxes are available in each county office, as well as in the lobby of the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington.
All absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. You can check the status of your affidavit and your ballot here.
Request a Ballot
If your absentee status in iVote is listed as “Indefinite”, this means that you have requested to be a permanent absentee voter. You will automatically receive an absentee ballot for all elections for which you are eligible to vote.
How to Request a Ballot
Voters that Need Assistance
Disability Accessibility
Federal law requires elections to be accessible to all eligible voters, including those with disabilities.
In federal elections, every polling place must have at least one voting system that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently.
Voters with disabilities have the right to receive in-person help at the polls from the person of their choice. This helper cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union, and must respect the voter’s privacy, not looking at the voter’s ballot unless the voter asks them to do so.
Election officials (including poll workers) must make reasonable accommodations as needed to help you vote and provide you with help if it’s possible for them to do so.
Language Accessibility
Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice. This person cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union.
If you have trouble voting due to lack of English fluency, call one of these hotlines:
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese: 1-888-API-VOTE / 1-888-274-8683
English
Spanish
Haitian Creole