Delaware elections, 2023
| Other elections | |
|---|---|
| View elections by state and year: | |
Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Our goal is to inform people about politics by providing accurate and objective information about politics at all levels of government. We are firmly committed to neutrality in our content.
This page provides information on the 2023 elections in Delaware, including the offices on the ballot covered by Ballotpedia, election dates, and frequently asked questions.
Election dates
Statewide election dates in Delaware are listed below. For more dates, please see the elections calendar.
Statewide election dates
There were no statewide elections in Delaware this year. See the Ballotpedia calendar page for more election dates.
Offices on the ballot
| Delaware elections, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Elections? | More information |
| U.S. Senate | — | — |
| U.S. House | — | — |
| Congress special election | — | — |
| Governor | — | — |
| Other state executive | — | — |
| State Senate | — | — |
| State House | — | — |
| Special state legislative | ✓ | Click here |
| State Supreme Court | — | — |
| Intermediate appellate courts | — | — |
| School boards | — | — |
| Municipal government | ✓ | Click here |
| Recalls | — | — |
| Ballot measures | — | — |
| Local ballot measures | ✓ | Click here |
Legend: ✓ election(s) / — no elections
Subject to Ballotpedia's scope
Noteworthy elections
So far, Ballotpedia has not highlighted any elections in this state. Have a suggestion of one we should cover in more detail? Click here and let us know.
Frequently asked questions
When are the polls open?
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.[1]
See State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2023) for more information
Where can I find election results?
Election results are posted on Ballotpedia's election overview pages, as well as the relevant candidate pages. You can find links to the current election overview pages in the "Offices on the ballot" section of this page.
How do primaries work in Delaware?
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Delaware utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
How do I register to vote?
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Delaware, an individual must meet the following requirements:[5]
- The individual must be a United States citizen.
- The individual must be a resident of Delaware.
- The individual must be 18 years of age by Election Day.
- The individual must be mentally competent.
- The individual must not be under a felony sentence or convicted of a disqualifying felony.
According to the Delaware Department of Elections, "The voter registration deadline is the 4th Saturday before a Primary and General Election. Voter registration applications submitted via the voter portal, ivote.de.gov, by the deadline, or received by mail by the Department and postmarked by the deadline, will be considered to be submitted by the deadline."[6]
Is there an early voting period?
- See also: Early voting
Delaware permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
On June 28, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a ruling from the Delaware Superior Court and reinstated early voting in the state. In a 5-0 decision, the court ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove that they would be harmed by laws permitting early voting, and therefore had no standing to sue. The decision, therefore, did not rule on the lower court's determination that early voting was prohibited by the Delaware Constitution.[7] The court agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis to provide clarity to voters and election administrators before the November election.[8] To read more about this case, see here.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Delaware's 2024 election cycle.
The deadline for eligible voters to request an absentee/mail-in ballot is no later than four days before an election.[9]
According to the state's absentee/mail-in ballot application, an individual is eligible for any of the following reasons:[10]
| “ |
Uniformed and Overseas Citzens Absentee Voting Act to vote by absentee ballot.
|
” |
Certain of these voters are eligible for a permanent absentee/mail-in voting status and may request to be added to the permanent list on their ballot application.[10]
On October 7, 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a state law allowing any registered voter to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot.[12]
On eligibility, Article V, Section 4A, of the Delaware Constitution reads:[13][14]
| “ | The General Assembly shall enact general laws providing that any qualified elector of this State, duly registered, who shall be unable to appear to cast his or her ballot at any general election at the regular polling place of the election district in which he or she is registered, either because of being in the public service of the United States or of this State, or his or her spouse or dependents when residing with or accompanying him or her because of the nature of his or her business or occupation, because of his or her sickness or physical disability, because of his or her absence from the district while on vacation, or because of the tenets or teachings of his or her religion, may cast a ballot at such general election to be counted in such election district.[11] | ” |
What are the voter ID laws in Delaware?
See Voter identification laws by state.
How do I file to run for office?
See Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Delaware for information on how to run for state or federal office.
What does Ballotpedia cover?
Ballotpedia's coverage extends to all elections on the federal level, all gubernatorial, state legislative, statewide ballot measure, and statewide judicial elections, as well as many other types of state executive offices. Ballotpedia also covers all elections in the U.S. territories, but not elections in other countries.
Local election coverage includes comprehensive ballot coverage for municipal and judicial elections in the top 100 cities by population and races for the large counties that overlap them. In the state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities, it includes coverage of mayoral, city council, and district attorney elections. It also includes school board elections in the top 200 largest school districts by enrollment, all California local ballot measures, and notable local ballot measures from across the nation.
Please note that Ballotpedia's election coverage does not encompass all local offices. Election information is not published in a timely manner for many local offices, which makes it infeasible to gather the necessary data given our limited resources. However, Ballotpedia's coverage scope for local elections continues to grow, and you can use Ballotpedia's sample ballot tool to see what local elections we are covering in your area.
How do I contact Ballotpedia with a question?
Email us at [email protected].
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
This section lists major events in the post-2020 census redistricting cycle in reverse chronological order. Major events include the release of apportionment data, the release of census population data, the introduction of formal map proposals, the enactment of new maps, and noteworthy court challenges. Click the dates below for additional information.
- Nov. 2, 2021: Gov. John Carney (D) signed the final House and Senate maps into law.
- Nov. 1, 2021: The Delaware General Assembly voted to approve final House and Senate maps, sending the proposals to Gov. John Carney (D) for final approval.
- Oct. 26, 2021: Senate Republicans released the second proposed maps for the state's Senate districts.
- Oct. 15, 2021: House Republicans released the second proposed maps for the state's House districts.
- Oct. 13, 2021: House Democrats released the first proposed maps for the state's House districts.
- Oct. 11, 2021: Senate Democrats released the first proposed maps for the state's Senate districts.
- Sept. 16, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 census in an easier-to-use format to state redistricting authorities and the public.
- Sept. 10, 2021: The Delaware General Assembly launched its redistricting website.
- Aug. 12, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered redistricting data to states in a legacy format.
- April 26, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered apportionment counts.
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Office of the State Election Commissioner - Frequently Asked Questions: When can I vote?", accessed December 2, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Primary Election," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "TITLE 15 Elections, CHAPTER 49. Conduct of Election § 3110 Qualifications of voters," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Office of the State Election Commissioner , "Qualifications," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "Voter Registration," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ WHYY, "Delaware Supreme Court restores access to early voting, permanent absentee voting," February 23, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "In unanimous ruling, Court sides with Jennings on voting rights," June 28, 2024
- ↑ State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Request for an Absentee Ballot for Primary, General and/or Special Elections," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Delaware Online, "Delaware Supreme Court finds vote by mail, same-day registration unconstitutional," October 7, 2022
- ↑ Delaware Code Online, "Article V. Elections." accessed April 6, 2023
- ↑ Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, "Higgin v. Albence: Memorandum Opinion," September 14, 2022
