Saturday, August 11th is the last day for unregistered citizens to register to vote before the Thursday, September 6th Primary. Citizens who are already registered do not have to re-register.

The quickest and easiest way to register to vote is via Delaware’s IVOTE system. This system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the exception of occasional brief periods for system maintenance. In order to be eligible to vote in the Primary you must be registered as a Democrat to vote in the Democratic Primary or as a Republican to vote in the Republican Primary. Folks registering without designating a party or with another party will not be able to vote in the September Primary. Citizens who are already registered without a party affiliation or in another political party can apply to change their party affiliation, however the change will not be effective until after the September 6th Primary.

Another way to register is to print a form, complete it and mail it to the Department of Election office in your county.  In order to be eligible to vote in the Primary, the envelope containing the Voter Registration Application must be postmarked on or before August 11th.

Delaware’s Election Offices in each county will be open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 11th for those who want to register in-person. The addresses are listed below.

State Election Commissioner – 905 S. Governors Ave Suite 170, Dover DE 19904, Telephone: (302) 739-4277

Kent County Office – 100 Enterprise Pl Suite 5, Dover DE 19904. Phone: (302) 739-4498

New Castle County Office – Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French St Suite 400, Wilmington DE 19801, Phone: (302) 577-3464

New Castle County Warehouse – 220 Lisa Dr, New Castle DE 19720, Phone: (302) 328-8652

Sussex County Office – 119 N. Race St, Georgetown DE 19947, Phone: (302) 856-5367

Contact: Howard Sholl, Dept of Elections, New Castle County Office, (302) 577-5066.

Wilmington –  The deadline for a person to change their party affiliation before Delaware’s 2018 Primary Election is Friday, May 25, 2018.  You must be registered as a Democrat or Republican to vote in a primary. Democrats vote in a Democratic Primary and Republicans vote in a  Republican Primary. Delaware does not permit persons registered as unaffiliated or with another party to vote in a Primary Election.

You can change your party affiliation –

♦ On-line at https://ivote.de.gov (available 24/7).

♦ Any business day at a Department of Elections office until 4:30 p.m.

♦ By returning a completed application to one of the State’s Election offices.

Department Offices:

♦ State Election Commissioner – 905 S. Governors Ave Suite 170, Dover DE 19904, Phone: (302) 739-4277.

♦ Kent County Office – 100 Enterprise Pl Ste 5, Dover DE 19904, Phone: (302) 739-4498.

♦ New Castle County Office – Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French St Suite 400, Wilmington DE 19801, Phone: (302) 577-3464 .

♦ Sussex County Office – 119 N. Race St, Georgetown DE 19947, Phone: (302) 856-5367.

Wilmington – The Department of Elections proposes splitting three 9th Representative District Election Districts due to population growth. The resulting Election Districts would provide a better voting experience for the registered voters living in those districts. The Department discussed this proposal at the State Board of Elections’ October Meeting. The Department will ask the State Board to approve the changes at its December meeting.

The Department would split Election District 02-09 with 2,905 registered voters along Fieldsboro Rd. The new 02-09, located north of Fieldsboro Rd, would have 1,456 registered voters. A new Election District, 10-09, south of Fieldsboro Rd, would have 1,449 registered voters. The voters in these districts would continue to vote at Old State Elementary School. This map shows the proposed split.

The Department would split Election District 05-09 with 3,246 registered voters principally along Vance Neck Rd. The new 05-09, located below Vance Neck Rd, would have 952 registered voters. These registered voters would continue to vote at Marion Profitt Training Center. A new Election District, 11-09, above Vance Neck Rd, would have 2,294 registered voters. These registered voters would vote at Crossroads Presbyterian Church located on Vance Neck Road. This map shows the proposed split. The change in the voting location for 11-09 is necessary because the former location cannot support the equipment and staff for two Election Districts.

The Department would split Election District 08-09 with 4,323 registered voters into three Election Districts. The new 08-09 would include the area of the current 08-09 generally north and west of Hyetts Corner Rd, Jamison Corner Rd and Boyds Corner Road. It would have 1,345 registered voters. A new Election District, 12-09, would include the part of the current 08-09 south of Boyds Corner Rd. It would have 1,296 registered voters. A new Election District, 13-09, would include the area bounded by the eastern boundary of the current 08-09, Hyetts Corner Rd, Jamison Corner Rd, and Boyds Corner Rd. It would have 1,682 registered voters. The registered voters in these three Election Districts would continue to vote at St. Georges Technical High School. This map shows the proposed split.

The registered voter numbers cited above are as of October 1, 2017. The number of registered voters in the Election Districts when the State Board approves the changes would be slightly higher. The Department normally adds more new voters each month then it cancels (e.g. death, moved out of state, personal request).

The Department will send new polling place cards to all registered voters in affected Election Districts after the State Board approves the splits. Additionally, the Department will send a letter to the registered voters in Election District 11-09 explaining that they will vote at a new location.

The Department has asked the legislators representing these districts for comments. Registered voters in these districts may send their comments to the Department of Elections – New Castle County Office no later than November 20, 2017 by email or mail.

The New Castle County Office’s mailing address is 820 N French St STE 400, Wilmington DE 19801.

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Department of Elections – New Castle County Office website

New law removes notary requirement, expanding voting access for younger Delawareans attending school out of state

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Friday signed into law House Bill 47, bipartisan legislation that removes the notary requirement for qualified Delaware voters requesting absentee ballots. The legislation will eliminate a barrier for voters seeking to cast votes in Delaware elections – especially young Delaware voters attending school out of state.

Representative Lyndon Yearick and Senator Brian Bushweller sponsored the legislation, along with Senator Brian Pettyjohn and Representative Kim Williams. Governor Carney signed the legislation in Dover on Friday, surrounded by its sponsors and college students from Delaware.

“We should always look for ways to make it easier for qualified Delaware voters to participate in the democratic process – not more difficult,” said Governor Carney. “This legislation does just that. It takes the common sense step of removing a barrier that had a specific negative impact on young Delawareans attending college out of state. Thank you to members of the General Assembly of both parties for their leadership on this issue.”

“Before this bill was signed, Delaware was the only state in the nation that required a notary to authorize a voter’s affidavit requesting an absentee ballot,” said Representative Yearick, R-Dover South, the prime sponsor of the measure. “It hindered anyone seeking to cast an absentee ballot, but it was especially hard on students attending out-of-state colleges.  This new law streamlines the process, removes a needless expense, and makes it easier for young adults to become active participants in the Democratic process.”

Senator Bushweller shepherded the bill through the Senate and said it represents an important change in how Delaware conducts elections. “I want to make it easier for people who are properly registered to vote to take part in our elections,” said Senator Bushweller, D-Dover.  “Requiring that a notary sign off on a registered voter’s right to participate was a real roadblock for some voters and I’m glad we’ve removed it.”

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For details on all the legislation Governor Carney has signed into law, visit the Legislative Advisories page on the Governor’s website.

DOVER – Delaware will not comply with a request from the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity to provide the panel with sensitive voter registration information including personal identification details for hundreds of thousands of Delawareans.

“Releasing this information to the White House would not serve the mission of safeguarding the fairness and integrity of elections in Delaware and would not be in the best interests of Delaware voters,” said State Election Commissioner Elaine Manlove.

“Delaware has a long history of running fair and efficient elections open to all qualified voters. We should not be a part of any effort to turn back the clock on the progress we have made,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. “Delaware will not be a party to this disingenuous and inappropriate campaign against one of the nation’s foundational institutions.”

A letter requesting the voter information was received by Secretary Bullock and forwarded to Commissioner Manlove. Unlike many states, elections in Delaware are not administered by the secretary of state. The election commissioner is an independent, non-partisan official appointed by the governor to a 10-year term and confirmed by the state Senate. The commissioner is the primary overseer of all state and local elections in Delaware, and is the custodian of the state’s voter rolls.

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Contact: Elaine Manlove
Office of the State Election Commissioner
elaine.manlove@delaware.gov
302-739-4277