Municipal Elections

Municipal Elections

Voting in DE Municipal Elections

Town and city charters determine voter qualifications for Delaware municipal elections. Some allow property owners who are not full-time residents to vote and to serve on the local council or commission. Most municipal elections are held separately from general elections in the state.

To vote in city or town elections, residents may need to register with the local jurisdiction, or they may need to be a registered voter at the state level. Many municipalities post election information and voter requirements on their city or town websites. This Delaware Municipal Officials Directory provides election contact information and links to websites of local governments in Delaware. The directory is provided by the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration (IPA) in association with the Delaware League of Local Governments (DLLG).

Election scheduling varies by municipality, with elections being held from January (Ellendale, Magnolia, Greenwood) to December (Dagboro). Some are held annually and some every two years.

The state has established requirements for the conduct of municipal elections. There is a separate affidavit to apply for an absentee ballot in municipal elections. Contact your municipality or county Department of Elections to request absentee ballot(s) for a municipal election.

Delaware Municipalities

The following Delaware cities and towns hold independent elections:
    • Kent County, DE (19 municipalities holding elections): Bowers Beach, Camden, Cheswold, Clayton, Dover, Farmington, Felton, Frederica, Harrington, Hartly, Houston, Kenton, Leipsic, Little Creek, Magnolia, Smyrna, Viola, Woodside, Wyoming.
    • New Castle County (12 holding separate elections): Ardencroft, Ardentown, Arden, Bellefonte, Delaware City, Elsmere, MIddletown, Newark, New Castle, Newport, Odessa, Townsend.
    • Sussex County, DE (25 municipalities holding elections): Bethany Beach, Bethel, Blades, Bridgeville, Dagsboro, Delmar, Dewey Beach, Ellendale, Fenwick Island, Frankfort, Georgetown, Greenwood, Henlopen Acres, Laurel, Lewes, Milford, Millsboro, Millville, Milton, Ocean View, Rehoboth Beach, Seaford, Selbyville, Slaughter Beach, South Bethany.

In addition, the state's largest city, Wilmington DE, holds elections once every four years that are administered by the state Department of Elections and combined with the state's primary and general election ballots for city residents.

If you live within the incorporation limits of any of these Delaware cities or towns, please consider learning about and voting in your local municipal elections. The turnout for these is often quite small, so your vote can have a strong impact.