Absentee Voting Information Sheet

General: Registered voters in New Castle County may vote by Absentee Ballot if they are unable to go to the polls on the day of an election for a reason provided for in Delaware Code, Title 15. Reasons for voting by absentee ballot include vacation, illness, and religious reasons.

Process: There are two processes by which a person may vote by Absentee Ballot - by mail and in-person at the Department of Elections for New Castle County.

By mail: The mail process is time consuming and can involve as many as four (4) mailings (two by the Department of Elections and two by the individual voting by Absentee Ballot). Time is a very important factor when voting by Absentee Ballot. Persons using the mail process should request an Absentee Ballot by submitting a properly completed affidavit as soon as they are aware that they will not be able to go to the polls for an election. The Department will begin mailing your ballot to those who have applied once ballots are available for a particular election.

1. Obtain an affidavit (application) for requesting an Absentee Ballot from the Department of Elections for New Castle County by calling 302.577.3464, a political party or from another source. You may download the applicable application from this site: Primary Election or General or Special Election.
2. Submit a properly completed affidavit requesting an Absentee Ballot to the Department of Elections for New Castle County no later than noon the third day prior to the day of the election. All affidavits requesting an Absentee Ballot must be notarized or witnessed by a person authorized to administer oaths except when submitted by persons who are ill, temporarily or permanently physically disabled, in the Public Service of the U.S. or the State of Delaware or who are voting under the provisions of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
3. Vote and return your ballot as soon as you receive it. Ballots may be returned by mail or taken to the Department of Elections for New Castle County, and must be received at the Department of Elections no later than 12 noon the day before the day of the election. Ballots received after that time and before 8 p.m. on the day of the election will be counted for federal offices only.

In-person: Persons may vote by Absentee Ballot at the Department of Elections for New Castle County once ballots are available between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on normal business days. Persons voting in-person must complete an affidavit, and present proper identification in order to have the affidavit notarized. The Department will be open some evenings and Saturdays. The date and time of the Department's extended hours will be published in the News-Journal and on the Department's WEB site.

Military and Overseas Civilians: Persons covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act whose domicile is Delaware may submit a Federal Post Card Application to the Department of Elections for New Castle County instead of an affidavit. NOTE: Federal Post Card Applications requesting an Absentee Ballot no longer must be notarized or witnessed by a commissioned officer. Additional information is available.

Students, business persons, persons on vacation, etc: must submit an affidavit for each election for which they are unable to go to the polls on an Election Day. These affidavits must be notarized or witnessed by a person authorized to administer oaths.

Ballot availability: Ballots for the February 5, 2008 Presidential Primary Election are available. Ballots for the September 2008 Primary will be available in early August 2008. Ballots for the November 2008 General Election will be available in mid to late September 2008.