Voting Guide

Voter Registration Deadline: 

• 4th Saturday before Election Day for primary and general elections

• 10 days before Election Day for special elections

2022

• Primary Election registration deadline: August 20

• Primary Election: September 13

• General Election registration deadline: October 15

• General Election: November 8

Students have a decision about where to register to vote.

You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.

You may only be registered and vote in one location.

Delaware’s voter registration form asks for your Delaware driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.

Voters registering for the first time in Delaware and returning their registration application by mail must submit a copy of one of the following with their registration form:

• Delaware-issued dirver's license or state ID card

• Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the registrant's name and address

Voters will be asked to show proof of identity when checking in to vote, but they may sign an affirmation of identity if they do not have accepted proof of identity. Voters are also required to show proof of address when voting in municipal elections or cast a provisional ballot.

Delaware does not have an established list of acceptable forms of ID or proof of address. Contact your local Department of Elections office for more information about what documentation you can use to prove your identity and address.

 

By Mail

Delaware requires voters to meet one of the following excuses to vote absentee:

• The voter is in public service for the United States or State of Delaware, or the spouse or dependent of such voter (applies to Uniformed Service members).

• The voter cannot vote in person due to the nature of his or her business or occupation. This excuse includes:

1. Persons providing care to a parent, spouse, or child who is living at home and requires constant care

2. Students

3. Incarcerated persons who are eligible to vote

• The voter will be absent from the district while on vacation

• The voter will be unable to go to the polls on Election Day due to the tenets or teachings of his or her religion

• Unable to go the polls on Election Day due to sickness or temporary or permanent disability

You can request an absentee ballot online at:

https://ivote.de.gov/VoterView. 

You can also print an absentee ballot request form at:

https://elections.delaware.gov/pubs/pdfs/absentee_ballot_application.pdf.

Applications can be returned by email, fax, or mail and must be received no later than 4 business days before Election Day. Voters who need to vote an absentee ballot due to disability or illness may request an electronic ballot.

Completed absentee ballots must be returned to your county Department of Elections by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Completed absentee ballots can be returned by mail, in-person, or to a secure ballot box. More information about voting by mail and secure ballot box locations is available at:

https://elections.delaware.gov/services/voter/votebymail/index.shtml.

Early In Person

Early in person voting is available to all registered voters for at least 10 days before Election Day. The last two days of early voting are the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Find an early voting location by visiting: https://ivote.de.gov/VoterView.

Election Day

Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, then you have a right to vote.

Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:

Federal Financial Aid

Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA

Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes

Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes

Tuition Status

Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community

 

Will registering to vote in Delaware affect my driver’s license or car registration?

As a full-time student in Delaware, you may have to make these changes regardless of whether you vote in Delaware. For more information, you may wish to contact the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles.