Delaware

Election Day: Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on General Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. 

How to Find Your Polling Place: Visit the State of Delaware’s polling place location web page.

You can vote in any polling place in your county during early voting. You must vote at your assigned polling place on Election Day.

Registration Deadlines: The registration deadline for the November 3, 2026 General Election is Saturday, October 10, 2026.  

How to Register: Delaware residents may register online, by mail, or in person at certain government offices. 

• Online: To register online, visit Voter Portal. 

• Mail: Request the registration form from your County’s Department of Elections office and return the form to that office. 

• In-Person: You may register in person at several state agencies, including DMV offices offering driver’s license and state ID services, Department of Elections offices, and (when accessing their services) the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Labor: Division of Training and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, WIC program offices, armed forces recruitment offices, some Social Security offices, and at institutes of higher education when you register for classes. 

Registration Eligibility: In order to be eligible to register in Delaware, you must be: 

• A citizen of the United States;
• A bona fide resident of Delaware, which means that Delaware is your home (even if you are unhoused or do not have a fixed residence);
• At least 18 years old on or before Election Day;
• Not convicted of a disqualifying felony (murder or manslaughter (except homicide)), offenses against public administration involving bribery or improper influence or abuse of an office and sexual offenses, unless having been pardoned);
• Convicted of a non-disqualifying felony and have fully discharged one’s sentence.
  • NOTE: Payment of any fees, fines, costs, or restitution which a felony offender may be required to pay as part of the criminal sanctions imposed on such offender is NOT considered in determining discharge or sentence of purposes of eligibility to register to vote. 
• Not declared mentally incompetent through a judicial proceeding; and 
• There is no duration of residence requirement in Delaware; you may register to vote the first day that you move to the state.

Identification Required for Registration: A valid form of ID includes (1) a Delaware driver’s license or Delaware state ID card, or (2) another document that shows your name and address, including a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck. 

Voters registering using the online National Voter Registration Form must include on the form the voter’s Delaware driver’s license number or nonoperating identification number.  If the voter has neither, the voter must provide the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number.  If the voter has none of these numbers, the voter should write “NONE” on the form and the state will assign a unique identifying number.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• By Fax
• By Email

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Delaware Congressional and State Primary Election

Ballot Request:

• Request for Postal Ballot by Fri Sep 11, 2026 12:00PM
• In-Person Request by Mon Sep 14, 2026 12:00PM
• Request for Email, Online or Fax Ballot by Mon Sep 14, 2026 12:00PM

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Sep 15, 2026 8:00PM

Delaware Congressional and State General Election

Ballot Request:

• Request for Postal Ballot by Fri Oct 30, 2026 12:00PM
• In-Person Request by Mon Nov 2, 2026 12:00PM
• Request for Email, Online or Fax Ballot by Mon Nov 2, 2026 12:00PM

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026 8:00PM

Delaware offers Early Voting for ten (10) days preceding an election. For the location and hours for Early Voting Sites, voters should call their county Elections Department office or check here.

Absentee Ballot Application Form

• Option 1: Visit Voter Portal, lookup your record, and click on “Request an Absentee Ballot”
• Option 2: Fill out and send the Absentee Statement (Application) by mail, fax, or email to the Department’s office in your county.

If You Want to Vote Absentee 

You can qualify to vote by absentee ballot if any of the following applies to you: 

• You are a U.S. Citizen in public service of the United States or Delaware, including the armed forces, merchant marines, or American Red Cross (or such person’s spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying such person), and you are absent from Delaware due to your service;
• The nature of your business or occupation (including the business of providing care to your parent, spouse, or child who is living at home and requires constant care due to illness, disability, or injury). This includes students who are away at college. 
• You are sick or physically disabled; 
• You are absent from your polling location because you are on vacation;
• You are unable to vote at a certain time or on a certain day due to your religious beliefs;
• You are otherwise authorized by federal law, including the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to vote by absentee ballot. 

In-Person: Contact the Department of Elections for your County to determine the hours for voting and availability of absentee ballots. General hours are between 8:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.  The last day to vote absentee in person is by 12:00 P.M. on the day prior to the election.

Drop-Off Locations: You may return a completed absentee ballot by mailing it to or dropping it off at your county election office. If you need assistance dropping off your completed ballot, you may have someone else return the completed ballot. Ballots must be back at the county office that issued them by 8:00 P.M. on Election day in order for it to be counted.  There are no ballot drop boxes, nor may you return a completed ballot to an early or Election Day polling location. 

Deadlines

• Registration:
  • By Mail: Postmarked by 11:59 PM, October 10, 2026 for the November 3, 2026 general election for unregistered citizens (except for uniformed service members and citizens living outside of the U.S., the deadline to register is October 19, 2026).
  • By Email or Fax: Received by 11:59 PM, October 10, 2026 for the November 3, 2026 general election.
• Absentee Ballot Request:
  • By Mail: Submit request at Voter Portal, by noon on October 30, 2026 for the November 3, 2026 general election.
  • The deadline for the Department of Elections to issue absentee ballots is Monday, November 2, 2026 at 12 PM, for the November 3, 2026 general election.
• Absentee ballots must be received by the Department of Elections by 8 PM, November 3, 2026 general election.

Additional information concerning absentee voting is available here. 

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Delaware you should provide one of the following:

• Your Delaware Driver’s License Number
• Your Delaware ID Number

If you do not have these IDs, you may provide:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Bank, credit card, rent or mortgage statement dated within 30 days of the Election
• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address

You can alternatively show one of these documents when you vote to complete your registration.

Voting In-Person

If you are registered to vote in Delaware, you will be asked to show ID when voting at the polls, but it is not required to show ID. It is recommended that you bring along with you an ID from this list:

• Polling Place Card
• Valid US Passport
• Valid Delaware Vehicle Registration
• Social Security Card
• Credit Card with Photo
• Valid Delaware Driver’s License
• Valid Delaware non-driver’s ID
• Similar document that identifies the person by photo or signature

Photo identification is not required to vote in Delaware.  When appearing to vote, you will be asked to present proof of your identity, but if you do not have identification, you may sign an affidavit that you are the person listed on the voting rolls, and you will then be permitted to vote by regular ballot.  If your eligibility to vote at the applicable election district cannot be determined, you will be permitted to vote by provisional ballot.  In order for your provisional ballot to count, you must subsequently provide valid identification.

If both (1) it is your first time voting at a polling place in the State, and (2) you registered to vote by mail and your application did not include the required identification documentation, at the polling place you must provide a valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Moving within the Same County: If you have moved within the same county, you must vote at the polling place for your new residence or address. Poll workers will assist you in completing a form to update the address in your voter registration record. 

Moving Between Counties: If you have moved between counties, you will be permitted to vote at the polling place for your new residence or address. Poll workers will assist you in updating the address in your voter registration record. When moving, it is advisable to update your voter registration information as soon as possible here.

Without a Fixed Residence: Anyone lacking a fixed residence or who is unhoused and is otherwise qualified to vote in Delaware may register by completing the proper registration forms and providing two pieces of identification containing their name; one of the pieces must include the mailing address on the application, which may be a shelter or agency.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Military and Overseas Voting: Military and other overseas citizens may use the standard procedure for absentee voting, but there are also special provisions for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and merchant marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with family members of all these groups, and other citizens who reside outside of the United States (together these groups are called UOCAVA voters). 

Registering and Requesting an Absentee Ballot: UOCAVA voters can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s FVAP Delaware page. 

UOCAVA voters may also register to vote and request an absentee ballot through Delaware’s Uniformed Service and Overseas Citizen Voter website. Additional information is available here. 

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot: The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is a backup ballot that can be used by UOCAVA voters. You can use this FWAB whether you are located inside or outside the United States (including Army Post Office and Fleet Post Office addresses), provided that you are away from your voting residence for service-related activities. For specific instructions, visit here.

You may be able to register to vote even if you have been convicted of a felony, but only if you:

• have not been convicted of a “disqualifying felony” (murder or manslaughter (except vehicular homicide), offenses against public administration involving bribery or improper influence or abuse of office, and sexual offenses); unless you have received a pardon and/or;
• you have fully discharged your sentence. Payment of any fees, fines, costs, or restitution which a felony offender may be required to pay as part of the criminal sanctions imposed on such offender is NOT considered in determining discharge of sentence for purposes of eligibility to register to vote.  

To determine whether you are eligible to register to vote, contact the Department of Elections at (302) 739-4277.