Voting in Delaware
General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
At a glance
Many people are registered automatically when they deal with the DMV or certain state agencies. You must register before the deadline below.
Show photo ID or a document with name and address; without it, sign an affidavit affirming your identity and vote a regular ballot. No ID? Ask your election office whether it offers a free one for voting. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.
Excuses: absent from state/county, illness/disability, work shift during all voting hours, religious belief, public service/military, caring for ill relative, vacation. Delaware's no-excuse mail law was struck by the state Supreme Court in 2024 (Albence v. Higgin), so an excuse is required Return deadline: received by 8 p.m. Nov 3 (close of polls).
Oct 24 - Nov 1 (at least 10 days, through Sunday before)
Most people regain the vote automatically after completing their sentence (fines no longer required since 2016), but those convicted of murder/manslaughter, bribery or felony sexual offenses are permanently barred unless pardoned.
Deadlines
| Step | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Register online | Saturday, October 10 | |
| Register by mail | Saturday, October 10 | |
| Register in person | Saturday, October 10 | |
| Election Day | Tuesday, November 3 | Polls close times vary; check your state. |
Mail ballot request: noon Nov 2 (day before election). Mail ballot return: received by 8 p.m. Nov 3 (close of polls).
Where the road gets harder
Every rule is a cost, and it doesn't fall on everyone the same. A deadline, a document or a trip to an office is easy for some people and a real obstacle for others: people who work hourly jobs, move often, live far from an office, don't drive, or have a disability. Here is what that looks like in Delaware.
- Registration closes before Election Day (in person: Saturday, October 10). Miss it and you can't vote in this election. If you've moved, your registration may need updating by then too.
- You need an accepted reason to vote by mail. Excuses: absent from state/county, illness/disability, work shift during all voting hours, religious belief, public service/military, caring for ill relative, vacation. Delaware's no-excuse mail law was struck by the state Supreme Court in 2024 (Albence v. Higgin), so an excuse is required. Everyone else votes in person.
- Mail ballots have to arrive by Election Day; a postmark isn't enough. A ballot mailed in the last days can arrive too late and won't count, so return it in person if it's close.
- After a felony conviction: Most people regain the vote automatically after completing their sentence (fines no longer required since 2016), but those convicted of murder/manslaughter, bribery or felony sexual offenses are permanently barred unless pardoned.
- In October 2022 the Delaware Supreme Court struck down no-excuse vote-by-mail and same-day registration as conflicting with the state constitution, which limits absentee voting to listed excuses.Source: Delaware Public Media
News from Delaware
Recent election, voting and policy headlines that mention Delaware, newest first. They are found automatically and not checked: a headline shows what someone published, not that it is true.
News appears here once the news feed is connected.
Official links
Delaware Department of Elections. These go straight to the government, not to us.
Sources
Checked October 12, 2026. Laws and court rulings change, sometimes close to an election. If anything here disagrees with your state or county election office, they are right and we are wrong; please tell us.
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-registration-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/online-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/automatic-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-voter-registration
- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/delaware-election-dates-and-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-11-receipt-and-postmark-deadlines-for-absentee-mail-ballots
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-2-excuses-to-vote-absentee
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-3-states-with-permanent-absentee-voting-lists
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights
- https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2022-10-07/delawares-supreme-court-tosses-out-vote-by-mail-and-same-day-registration