The Delaware Voting Rights Coalition (DVRC) is urging voters who cast a ballot early or on Election Day in the September 10, 2024, primary election to be aware of an issue with political parties on some voters’ registrations. The newly discovered errors impacted an estimated 750 voters, assigning them to “No Party" instead of “No Party – AVR.” According to the Department of Elections, these voters registered via Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Voters who register for the first time via AVR are registered as “No Party – AVR" and can declare their party through Election Day. The clerical error has led to these voters listed as unaffiliated with a political party or unable to declare their party, meaning they could be turned away during Delaware’s closed primary election.
If a voter believes they have been affected by this issue, they should take following steps:
- Report the issue to the Delaware Voting Rights Coalition by submitting a claim or calling the ACLU of Delaware at (302) 654-5326.
- If you encounter problems at the polls, calmly insist on speaking to the polling site Election Inspector. If they are unable to assist you, ask the poll worker to call the county Board of Elections office and/or the Department of Elections office. Do not leave the polling site until you have been permitted to cast your ballot, or you have received a satisfactory explanation as to why you are not eligible to vote. Report the issue to the DVRC by submitting a claim or calling the ACLU of Delaware at (302) 654-5326.
“Voters should feel empowered to advocate for themselves, and if they believe they were properly registered to vote, they should seek answers from election officials,” said Andrew Bernstein, Cozen Voting Rights Legal Fellow. “We urge voters to calmly insist that someone assist them and to not leave the polling location until the situation has been remedied. If voters leave and are unable to return, we do not want them to be disenfranchised because of a technical error.”
We urge all voters to verify your voter registration information before casting your ballot during Delaware’s ongoing early voting period, or on Election Day next Tuesday, September 10. To view your registration status, visit ivote.de.gov. We also urge voters to check their voter informational postcard sent to them by the Department of Elections. Voters who registered via AVR can also check the AVR mailer they should have received shortly after registering.
The DVRC remains committed to ensuring that everyone who has the right to vote can exercise that right in a meaningful, transparent, safe, and secure manner. We will continue to monitor this situation and work with state officials, election protection groups, and community advocates to protect the voting rights of all Delawareans.
The Delaware Voting Rights Coalition is Delaware's first statewide coalition of voting rights organizations and advocates. We empower communities, especially communities of color, people who speak English as a second language, people involved in the justice system, people with disabilities, and young people, to identify and remedy barriers to the ballot box.
To learn more about the Delaware Voting Rights Coalition, visit aclu-de.org/dvrc.
To view the DVRC’s comprehensive voter guide, “How to Vote in Delaware’s 2024 Primary Elections,” visit aclu-de.org/voter-guide2024.
