IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR DELAWARE PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS
ACTION REQUIRED BY PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS
Delaware's permanent absentee voters must take immediate action in order to ensure that they receive an absentee ballot for the 2026 General Election.
Litigation in the Delaware courts seeks to invalidate permanent absentee voter status. That litigation may prevent the Department from sending permanent absentee voters an absentee ballot for the 2026 General Election unless they submit a new application for an absentee ballot specifically for this 2026 election cycle.
As background, State Senator, and Candidate for State Senate District 20 Gerald W. Hocker has filed suit against Defendants State Election Commissioner Anthony J. Albence and the Department of Elections, to challenge the constitutionality of Delaware’s permanent absentee statute. Vice Chancellor David has scheduled the case to be heard on September 4, 2026.
If the Department prevails in the litigation, permanent absentee voters will receive ballots for the 2026 general election as they have in prior years. If Senator Hocker prevails, permanent absentee voters will receive absentee ballots for the 2026 general election only if they renew their absentee voter application for this election cycle or are registered to receive absentee ballots under UOCAVA.
In order to ensure that they receive their absentee ballot for the 2026 General Election permanent absentee voters must submit to the Department a new request for an absentee ballot. The Department will be permitted to mail voters who are eligible to vote by absentee ballot under federal law (UOCAVA) and voters who submitted a new absentee application since the 2024 general election an absentee ballot regardless of the outcome of Senator Hocker's litigation.
The options for submitting a new absentee ballot request are listed below:
- Download and print a Request for an Absentee Ballot; or
- The Department is mailing a Notice to all registered permanent absentee voters informing them they must submit a new request for an absentee ballot. Permanent absentee voters may return the Request for an Absentee Ballot form included in the mailing.
- Fill out a Request for an Absentee Ballot form at your county DOE Office during business hours
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT TO THE DEPARTMENT IN ORDER FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO MAIL AN ASENTEE BALLOT IS OCTOBER 30, 2026.
As additional information, Delaware offers two additional voting options for voters:
- In-Person Early Voting at an Early Voting Site for your county during the 10 day early voting period
- In-person Early Voting is available October 22nd through November 1st.
- Early Voting Sites and Schedule
- In-Person Voting at your assigned polling place on Election Day (November 3, 2026).
- Your polling place is printed on your polling place card.
- You can also find your polling place by visiting the Voter Portal or the Department's GIS Lookup Tool.
Department of Elections