DOVER, DE – The Delaware Department of Elections (DOE) announces the implementation of Automatic Voter Registration at all Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations and online at dmv.de.gov with a myDMV account.

Starting Wednesday, June 21, 2023, and pursuant to Delaware law (15 Del. C. § 2050A), every person who:

• completes an in-person or online application for the issuance or renewal of their Delaware driver license, learners permit, or identification card or completes an in-person or online application to change their name or address on these documents, and
• is not already registered to vote, is of sufficient age, and whose citizenship status has been confirmed by the DMV, is automatically registered to vote by the DOE.

The new process only applies to new Delaware voters. Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) creates a seamless system between DMV and DOE for the transfer of new voters’ registrant data into Delaware’s voter registration database. DMV customers simply complete their transaction, and their information is electronically transferred to the voter registration system. DOE staff reviews each record and once they verify the voter’s eligibility, the voter is added to the list of Delaware registered voters.

“As a result of the enactment of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, any U.S. citizen residing in the State of Delaware, who met the eligibility requirements, was afforded the opportunity to register to vote while obtaining or renewing a Delaware driver license, learners permit, or identification card. AVR will streamline the process for those who qualify,” said Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles Director Jana Simpler.

Automatically Registered Voters (i.e., AVR Voters) are registered by DOE with no party affiliation (not affiliated with any party) and are registered as of the date of their DMV transaction.

The Department of Elections will mail each automatically registered voter a “Notice of Automatic Voter Registration”, which includes a “Response to Automatic Voter Registration” form. AVR voters may use the form to update their voter registration, choose a party affiliation, or cancel their voter registration.

AVR voters may choose a political party through the day of the first primary election following their automatic voter registration at DMV in order to vote in that primary election. Delaware is a closed primary state. Only voters registered with the Democratic or Republican Party may vote in their party’s primary election.

Voters should contact the Delaware Department of Elections, not DMV, with any questions about the Automatic Voter Registration process. Detailed information is available at elections.delaware.gov, or by calling 302-739-4277. Delawareans are encouraged to contact their elected officials with any concerns about the legislation.

DOE Information
For more information, visit the Department of Elections website at elections.delaware.gov and connect with the Department on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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The Department of Elections is proud to support National Voter Registration Day, a nationwide event designed to raise awareness of voting and civic engagement, and to register eligible but unregistered citizens to vote for upcoming elections.

Delaware is a national leader in making voter registration easy, convenient, and accessible to eligible Delawareans.  “Our partnership with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in which voter registration is fully integrated into DMV transactions–known as eSignature or ‘eSig’–is a model for the nation,” said Elaine Manlove, State Election Commissioner. “In addition we now offer online voter registration, and a full-service voter information portal, iVote.de.gov.  Voters can register to vote, update their voter registration, and much more, all at their convenience,” added Manlove.

In addition to these services, the Department is a founding member of the ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center), a multi-state consortium founded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.  ERIC provides tools for Delaware’s Department of Elections to more easily communicate with election offices in other states to ensure voter registration records are more accurate, and to reach Delawareans who are eligible to vote but not registered.  More info on ERIC is available at: http://www.ericstates.org.

More info on National Voter Registration Day 2015 is available: http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org.   The site includes a search by ZIP code of local events being offered.

More info on the Department of Election, including the iVote portal, is available at: http://elections.delaware.gov.

Wilmington – Delaware’s Department of Elections continues a tradition of participating in a staple of Delaware summer life, the Delaware State Fair. The Department returns to this year’s Fair with a fun and engaging presence in the air-conditioned Exhibit Hall. Stop by to learn about Delaware’s elections system, register to vote, update your voter registration, or learn some “fun facts” about Delaware’s government and elections system — and maybe win some prizes, including a Kindle®!

“We look forward to participating in the Fair each year as a key piece of our outreach to Delaware’s voters,” said Delaware State Election Commissioner Elaine Manlove. “We hope that many voters will stop by to learn more about the services available for them. We are particularly proud of our iVote portal, a ‘one-stop shop’ where Delaware’s voters can take care of just about anything elections-related, securely and at their convenience.”

State Fair hours are: 12 Noon to 10 p.m. on July 23rd, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from July 24th through August 1st. Find more information about the fair at the Fair’s web site. Visit the Department of Elections web site for information about elections, voting and the iVote portal.

Wilmington – In recognition of National Voter Registration Day, the Department of Elections for New Castle County is partnering with JPMorgan Chase to register voters and provide information about voting in Delaware. The event will be in the lobby of 3 Christina Center in Wilmington on Tuesday, September 23rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Department will demonstrate the State of Delaware’s online voter registration system using tablets, and will also make the system available to register voters and to permit voters to update their voter registration information. Please bring proof of identity and address if you want to register to voter or update your voter registration information.

People who are unable to participate in the event can register to vote or update their voter registration information at https://ivote.de.gov.

Contact: Anthony Albence or Howard Sholl , Department of Elections for New Castle County, (302) 577-3464.

Wilmington DE – June 2nd is the last day to change Political Party Affiliation before the September 9th Primary.  The Department’s offices will be open Friday, May 30th and Monday, June 2nd to handle walk-in customers. People can use the State’s online registration system to change their party affiliation, update other registration information and register to vote at http://ivote.de.gov/. The online system is available 24 hours a day.

Contact: Howard Sholl, Department of Elections for New Castle County, (303) 577-5066