Here at the Delaware Chapter of the Sierra Club, we believe that your vote matters. We need to elect more “climate first” candidates in Delaware if we want to pass the kinds of policies we need to protect communities, combat climate change, and prepare for the impacts to come.
There are a number of wonderful candidates running for election this year, and the Delaware Chapter is currently reviewing questionnaires from candidates to consider possible endorsements. We will be in touch soon to announce any news on this front.
However, with the Delaware primary elections coming up on September 13th and the General Elections taking place on November 8th, we wanted to send out this email as a voter guide since new policies have been implemented recently.
The upcoming primary election is a closed primary, meaning only voters that have declared a party affiliation are able to vote. This is necessary because the primary elections select candidates from within a political party. So, if a person is a registered Democrat then they will be able to vote for the Democratic candidates and if a person is a registered Republican then they will be able to vote for the Republican candidates.
You can check your party affiliation, voter registration status, and designated polling place here.
New Registration Options
If you are unregistered to vote, then that’s not a problem. For the first time, the voter registration deadline is on Election Day. This new change was passed this year by the Delaware General Assembly in order to increase the number of people able to cast a ballot. Unregistered eligible voters looking to register on Election Day need to register to vote at their designated polling place and must bring a photo ID and proof of residence, just like you would if you registered with the DMV. Proof of residence can include a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. You may also register online using this portal from the Department of Elections.
New Vote By Mail Option
If you’re a registered voter, but are unable to vote in person at your designated polling place, then you can now request a mail in your ballot. The first step of mail in voting is to submit an online request for a ballot. You can find the online request website at this link. You may request a mail-in ballot from August 15 to September 6, but the sooner you do it the better given the recent delays at the USPS.
Once you have received the mail-in ballot, follow the instructions and fill out the ballot, then place and seal your ballot in the envelope provided. The mail-in ballot requires identification information and you must provide either the last four digits of your Social Security number, Delaware driver’s license number, or Delaware State ID number. Once you have filled in your identification information, there is a seal you place over the information so that it stays secure. You are required to return the filled out and sealed ballot to your county’s election office by Election Day. You can return the ballot by mailing it to the election office or by dropping it off at a secure ballot drop box within your county. Here is a list of drop box locations.
New Early Voting Options
If you would like to vote early, or have missed the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail, you can now go and vote in person up for the Primary Election from August 31st through September 11th. However, you can only participate in early in-person voting at select locations in each county. Again, you cannot vote early by just going to your normal polling location! You can see the list of early voting locations and hours on this page of the Department of Elections.
Similar changes have been made for the November 8th general election as well. Unregistered voters are able to register to vote on election day at their designated polling place and mail-in ballots will be issued from October 10 to November 1. You can use this calendar in order to keep track of important voting dates. We hope to see you at the polls!