Delaware’s 2026 primary voter-registration deadline is approaching

Delaware residents who are not registered to vote must complete the process by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, August 22, 2026, to vote in the state’s primary election on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

The deadline applies to most voters who are new to Delaware’s rolls, have moved and need to update their records, or otherwise are not registered at their current address. Department of Elections offices statewide are scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on August 22 for registration assistance.

Delaware’s primary is closed by party, so voters should also confirm their political affiliation before assuming they can receive a particular ballot.

Who must register by August 22

Eligible Delaware residents who are not registered must submit an application by the deadline. Applications received by the Department of Elections by 11:59 p.m. count as submitted on time. Mailed applications must be postmarked by August 22 and received by the Department under the state’s rules.

Voters can register or update their records through the state’s voter portal, at a Department of Elections office, by submitting a printed application, or through designated government and voter-registration offices. A change of address with the Post Office does not update a voter’s registration automatically.

Military service members and citizens living outside the United States have a different deadline. They may register for the September primary through Monday, August 31, 2026, under federal rules for uniformed and overseas voters.

Delaware’s closed-primary rules

Only voters affiliated with the Democratic Party may vote in the Democratic primary, and only voters affiliated with the Republican Party may vote in the Republican primary. Voters registered with no party generally cannot choose either major-party primary ballot.

The ordinary deadline to change party affiliation for the 2026 primary was 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 29, 2026. That deadline has passed. Unaffiliated voters and voters registered with the other major party should not assume they can make a routine party change now and vote in a different party’s primary.

Voters may still update other registration information, such as an address or name, before an election and at their polling place on Election Day, according to the Department.

Special rule for automatic voter-registration voters

A separate provision applies to some voters automatically registered through the Division of Motor Vehicles. These voters were not offered a party choice during the automatic-registration process.

For the 2026 primary, those AVR voters may designate either the Democratic or Republican Party through September 15, 2026, including at an early-voting site or their assigned polling place on Election Day. The Department also lists online, mail, email, in-person and form-based options for making the designation.

This is a narrow exception for voters covered by the automatic-registration provision. It does not reopen the ordinary party-change deadline for every Delaware voter. The Department says the 2026 primary will be the last election in which this special AVR party-affiliation provision applies.

Early voting and Election Day hours

Early voting is scheduled to begin Wednesday, September 2. The schedule is:

• September 2 through September 5: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• September 6 and September 7: No early voting because of the Labor Day holiday.
• September 8: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• September 9 through September 13: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On primary day, September 15, polling places are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. Voters can use Delaware’s voter portal to find their voting location and review registration information.

Absentee-ballot deadlines

The Department of Elections lists Friday, September 11, as the deadline to submit a request for a primary absentee ballot to be mailed. The 2026 election calendar also lists September 11 as the deadline for county election offices to mail absentee ballots for the primary.

The Department must issue qualifying absentee ballots by noon Monday, September 14. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the Department of Elections by the close of polls on primary day, 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, to count.

Voters can request an absentee ballot and check its status through Delaware’s absentee-voting services and voter portal.

What Delaware voters should check now

• Confirm that your voter registration is active.
• Check that your current home address is listed.
• Review your party affiliation and determine which primary ballot you can receive.
• If you were automatically registered through the DMV without choosing a party, review the Department’s special AVR instructions.
• Choose Election Day, early voting or absentee voting and note the applicable deadlines.
• Use the voter portal to confirm your polling location and absentee-ballot information.

The next major deadline for most Delaware voters is August 22 at 11:59 p.m. Early voting is scheduled to start September 2, and the primary election will be held September 15. All times are Eastern time. The Department’s election calendar is informational and may change if Delaware law changes, so voters should check the live Department of Elections pages before submitting an application or ballot.

Sources

• Delaware Department of Elections: Voter Registration guidance
• Delaware Public Media: How to register to vote in the 2026 primaries

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