This Way to the Voting Booth: A Citizen's Guide to Registration & Voting

• Finding your polling place: Polling places can be obtained by entering your home address on the Dept of Elections ivote.de.gov voter portal or on VOTE411.
• ID needed for voting: Identification is required ONLY if you have registered using the National Voter Registration Form and thus did not supply it originally.
• In that case, the voter must present current identification which includes a current and valid photo ID that shows full name and address. If a photo ID cannot be produced, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government documents that show full name and address will be accepted. Identification is also required the first time you vote in person or with an in-person absentee ballot.
• All that being said, bringing your photo ID (if you have one) to the polling place each time you vote will make the voting process quicker and easier.

Absentee Ballot Process

To vote absentee, you must submit a request form and swear or affirm that you are unable to go to your regular polling place during the election. As outlined on the DE Dept of Elections "Absentee Voting in Delaware" page, absentee ballots can be requested on the ivote.de.gov voter portal, or the request form can be downloaded and filled out manually. Absentee forms can also be obtained by phoning or writing the Department of Elections.

Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or can be delivered in-person at the Department of Elections office in your county. In either case, the voted absentee ballot must be received by the Department of Elections by 8:00 p.m. (close of polls) on Election Day

Early Voting

Delaware early voting legislation (HB38) was passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2019 and took effect in 2022. Early voting has proven to be very popular in Delaware! 

Ten days of early in-person voting, including weekend options, are available for all voters in specified locations for each Delaware primary and general election. The DE Dept of Elections "Voting Locations" page website lists the Early Voting Sites & Schedule for each county prior to each election.

Polling Place Hours

Polling place hours are 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. If you are in line waiting to vote at closing time, you may cast your vote even if it is done after 8:00 pm.

Provisional Voting

If you are a registered voter in your election district but your name does not appear on the official poll list, you may be able to vote by updating the record of a name or address change or by provisional ballot. Provisional ballots cover only federal offices such as President, Vice President, US Senate and US Congress. For details, visit the DE Dept of Elections "Provisional Ballots" web page.

Voting Machines

Since 2019, Delawareans have voted using ExpressVote XL voting machines from ES&S. The ExpressVote XL Universal Voting System both marks and tabulates votes in one full-face voting unit. It includes a voter-verifiable paper record that is digitally scanned for tabulation on the ExpressVote XL itself. To ensure election integrity, Delaware voters should take the time to visually scan the machine-marked paper ballot and verify its contents before finalizing their votes.

For information about using these machines (including a handy video tutorial), go Dept of Elections "Delaware's Voting Machines" web page.

For Voters with Special Needs

All people qualified and desiring to vote must be given the opportunity to do so. It is the goal of the State of Delaware to provide all citizens with any necessary assistance to make that happen: Accessible polling places, Accessible voting machines, Voting by Absentee Ballot, Assistance at any point as a means of accommodation. For details, visit the DE Dept of Elections "Voters With Special Needs" web page.

Administrative Complaints

If you experience a problem with voting systems standards, provisional voting or any other voting problem covered by Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) and wish to register a formal complaint, there is a specific process to do so. Find details at the DE Dept of Elections "Administrative Complaints" web page.

Voting in Municipal Elections

Delaware municipal election rules and schedules vary according to their town or city charters. With the exception of Wilmington DE, municipal elections are held separately from general elections in the state. Please refer to our LWVDE Delaware Municipal Elections page for more information, or refer to the DE Dept of Elections "Municipal Elections" page.

To vote in school board elections, a citizen must be a resident in the school district holding the election and be at least 18 years of age. Advance registration is not necessary. For school board elections, residents can vote at any open polling place within their school district (which may be different from their assigned general election pollng place). You may vote by absentee ballot if you cannot be present on election day. More information can be found on our LWVDE Delaware School Board Elections page or at the DE Dept of Elections "School Board Elections" page.

In Delaware, school districts also hold periodic referenda elections, often related to building construction or increasing school funding through tax increases or issuance of bonds. A referendum will announced by the school district when needed, and they are also posted on the Department of Elections website. The same voter eligibility criteria applies for school district referenda as for school board elections.

Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF) in October of 2006, VOTE411 is a "one-stop-shop" for election-related information. It provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on all aspects of the election process.