Delaware News


Department of Elections Announces Primary Election Party Change Deadline, Friday, May 29, 2026, 11:59 pm

Department of Elections | Department of Elections - Kent County Office | Department of Elections - New Castle County Office | Department of Elections - State Election Commissioner | Department of Elections - Sussex County Office | Kent County | New Castle County | Newsroom | Sussex County | Date Posted: Thursday, May 21, 2026


State of Delaware Department of Elections logo

Dover, DE – The Delaware Department of Elections (DOE) announces that the Party Change Deadline for the September 15, 2026 Primary Election is Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., pursuant to Delaware law, (15 Del. C. § 2049(a)).

Delaware is a Closed Primary State, meaning that voters must be registered with the Democratic or Republican party in order to vote in their party’s Primary Election. Currently registered Delaware voters who wish to vote in the Primary Election but need to change their party in order to vote must change their party affiliation to the party of their choice (either Democratic or Republican) on or before Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Delaware voters may change their party affiliation by completing a new voter registration form marking their new party affiliation and submitting the form to the DOE by the deadline. Voters may submit a change of party affiliation voter registration form:

  • Complete a party change online at https://ivote.de.gov.
  • Download and print a form to complete from https://de.gov/vrapp
  • Call or email the office for a form to be mailed or emailed. The completed form must be postmarked by or received by the DOE by Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
  • Voters may change party affiliation in person at their county DOE Office during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Department offices in each county will be open until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2026, for voters who would like to change their political party affiliation in-person.
  • Office locations are listed below: 
    • Department of Elections, New Castle County Office
      Carvel State Office Building, 820 N French Street, Suite 400, Wilmington DE 19801
      (302) 577-3464 votencc@delaware.gov
    • Department of Elections, Kent County Office
      100 Enterprise Place, Suite 5, Dover DE 19904
      (302) 739-4498 votekc@delaware.gov
    • Department of Elections, Sussex County Office
      119 N Race Street, Georgetown DE 19947
      (302) 856-5367 votesc@delaware.gov

For more information visit the DOE’s website, https://elections.delaware.gov, or call the Department of Elections office in your county.

DOE Information
For more information, visit the Department of Elections website at elections.delaware.gov and connect with the Department on Facebook: facebook.com/DoE.Delaware, X (formerly Twitter), x.com/DE_Elections, Instagram: instagram.com/doe.delaware/, and YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCYITHvWQRkGXNIZ3ctvH7VQ.
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Delaware Department of Elections
Cathleen Hartsky-Carter
Community Relations Officer
(302) 735-3770
(302) 484-0392
Cathleen.Carter@delaware.gov

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Department of Elections Announces Primary Election Party Change Deadline, Friday, May 29, 2026, 11:59 pm

Department of Elections | Department of Elections - Kent County Office | Department of Elections - New Castle County Office | Department of Elections - State Election Commissioner | Department of Elections - Sussex County Office | Kent County | New Castle County | Newsroom | Sussex County | Date Posted: Thursday, May 21, 2026


State of Delaware Department of Elections logo

Dover, DE – The Delaware Department of Elections (DOE) announces that the Party Change Deadline for the September 15, 2026 Primary Election is Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., pursuant to Delaware law, (15 Del. C. § 2049(a)).

Delaware is a Closed Primary State, meaning that voters must be registered with the Democratic or Republican party in order to vote in their party’s Primary Election. Currently registered Delaware voters who wish to vote in the Primary Election but need to change their party in order to vote must change their party affiliation to the party of their choice (either Democratic or Republican) on or before Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Delaware voters may change their party affiliation by completing a new voter registration form marking their new party affiliation and submitting the form to the DOE by the deadline. Voters may submit a change of party affiliation voter registration form:

  • Complete a party change online at https://ivote.de.gov.
  • Download and print a form to complete from https://de.gov/vrapp
  • Call or email the office for a form to be mailed or emailed. The completed form must be postmarked by or received by the DOE by Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
  • Voters may change party affiliation in person at their county DOE Office during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Department offices in each county will be open until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2026, for voters who would like to change their political party affiliation in-person.
  • Office locations are listed below: 
    • Department of Elections, New Castle County Office
      Carvel State Office Building, 820 N French Street, Suite 400, Wilmington DE 19801
      (302) 577-3464 votencc@delaware.gov
    • Department of Elections, Kent County Office
      100 Enterprise Place, Suite 5, Dover DE 19904
      (302) 739-4498 votekc@delaware.gov
    • Department of Elections, Sussex County Office
      119 N Race Street, Georgetown DE 19947
      (302) 856-5367 votesc@delaware.gov

For more information visit the DOE’s website, https://elections.delaware.gov, or call the Department of Elections office in your county.

DOE Information
For more information, visit the Department of Elections website at elections.delaware.gov and connect with the Department on Facebook: facebook.com/DoE.Delaware, X (formerly Twitter), x.com/DE_Elections, Instagram: instagram.com/doe.delaware/, and YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCYITHvWQRkGXNIZ3ctvH7VQ.
###

Delaware Department of Elections
Cathleen Hartsky-Carter
Community Relations Officer
(302) 735-3770
(302) 484-0392
Cathleen.Carter@delaware.gov

image_printPrint

Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.