Delaware
Delaware
GradeB-
Year2024
TierMid Tier

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Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

This past year, the Delaware Legislature made one small change to its election laws in the name of voter accessibility. While it passed important legislation to ensure that voters with disabilities will have adequate access to the polls for all state elections, the Assembly, once again, failed to move a critical restoration of rights constitutional amendment forward. Therefore, Delaware received a B- on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Delaware Started at the Beginning of 2024

  • Automatic Voter Registration: Secure AVR
  • Online Voter Registration: Open to all Eligible
  • Same-Day Registration: No
  • Restoration of Rights: Some Lifetime Disenfranchisement
  • Vote by Mail: Excuse-Only
  • Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
  • Early Voting Opportunities: Regular Ballot Early Voting
  • ID Requirements: ID Requested, but not Required
  • Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Delaware as of 2024, we considered the state a middle tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other middle tier states.

    How Our Tier Compares

  • COVI (2024): 28th
  • EPI Score (2020): 26th
  • CLC State Scorecard (2022): 5/10
  • MAP Democracy Rating (2024): FAIR
  • 2024: This Past Year

    Legislative Action

    The Delaware General Assembly passed one small, but important, initiative this year:

    • HB 293 requires the Department of Elections to ensure that all polling places in the state are accessible to voters with disabilities and have accessible parking for every election held in the state.
  • Unfortunately, the General Assembly was yet again unable to move SB 180 forward, which would have put the state on a path to restore voting rights for all individuals that have completed a term of incarceration for a felony conviction.