ballotbymail.org · nonpartisan
Voting by mail in Delaware
Only with a qualifying reason. You need an approved reason, such as travel, illness or disability, age, or work. Check your state's list. If you don't qualify, early in-person voting is usually an option. On the permanent absentee list? The Delaware Supreme Court upheld it on Sept. 21, 2026, and the Department of Elections is mailing permanent absentee voters their 2026 ballots. Everyone else: request by Oct. 30.
Key dates
| Register to vote by | Sat, Oct 10 |
| Mail ballot request received by | Fri, Oct 30 |
| Early in-person voting | Thu, Oct 22 – Sun, Nov 1 |
| Mail your ballot by | Tue, Oct 27 (USPS: allow 7 days) |
| Election Day | Tue, Nov 3 |
| ID at the polls | ID requested (photo not necessary). Without one: Sign an 'Affirmation of Voter Identity' form and vote a regular ballot (15 Del. C. § 4937) |
| Return rule | Received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. |
| Fix a flagged ballot by | Tue, Nov 3 |
| Missed the request deadline? | Any absentee voter, by a written or electronic statement to the county Department of Elections (state law; the Department's own page publishes Oct. 30, so call first): by Mon, Nov 2, noon. |
| Who can return it for you | Anyone you choose may return it. You mail the sealed envelope or deliver it, or have it delivered, to your county Department of Elections before polls close at 8 p.m. Election Day. No restriction on who delivers and no limit stated. Drop boxes aren't mentioned. |
Steps
- Check the excuse list on your state's site. Common ones: away on Election Day, illness or disability, 65 or older, work hours.
- If you qualify, request now and include the reason exactly as the form asks.
- If you don't qualify, look up early in-person voting. It's available in most excuse states.
- When your ballot arrives, fill it out in blue or black ink and sign the envelope.
- Return it the way your state requires and track it until it shows received.
Don't get rejected
- Sign the envelope. An unsigned envelope is the most common fixable mistake.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
https://elections.delaware.gov/voter/absentee/
https://ivote.de.gov/VoterView
https://ivote.de.gov/VoterView
ballotbymail.org/state/de
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Rules checked 2026-09-09; deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Sources: NCSL, Vote.org, CEIR, state election offices. The official site wins if anything differs. Free to copy and post.