Voting bill would move up Delaware state primary elections

A new bill would align Delaware’s state primary election day with the presidential primary date, moving the voting occasion up by five months.

House Bill 400 would move the date for statewide, county and municipal primary elections from September to April, which is when the presidential primary elections are held. While the bill would not affect the 2024 primary elections that are now just weeks away, the legislation comes at a time when most of the state’s highest offices are up for grabs.

The bill has been sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Bolden (D-Wilmington) for more than six years, and has previously passed the Delaware House of Representatives three times only to see it not be taken up by the State Senate.

The House unanimously approved the bill June 18 and it is now currently awaiting consideration in the Senate Executive Committee.

“HB 400 is a voter rights bill that makes it easier to vote by causing less confusion and increasing voter participation. It also provides a wider window for those who are serving in the military, and living abroad. But most of all, and very important, it saves the state $1.5 million,” Bolden said before the House floor vote, referring to the cost of having to hold two primary elections versus one.

Unlike other voting rights bills, HB 400 also notably drew wide bipartisan support – Republican Rep. Jeff Spiegelman chose not to vote after voicing concerns around a rare scenario where an earlier primary could impact decennial redistricting. House Minority Whip Lyndon Yearick noted that earlier primary elections would also give the public more time to get to know candidates ahead of a general election.

“Just the combination of the presidential primary and our other primary just makes practical sense, in addition to the financial sense that it makes to save the money,” he said, commending Bolden’s work to push for the change over many years. “I think we should all rally behind this, and let's try to get the Senate to follow practical, good sense, direction and leadership on this issue, and make this happen once and for all.”

Delaware's state primary election is held the second Tuesday after the first Monday in September – it shares the title of the nation’s latest state primary along with New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

HB 400 would move the date to the fourth Tuesday in April.

If passed, the bill would apply to all primary elections beginning in 2026. This year’s primary election falls on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The legislation would also update the period in which a voter is not allowed to change their political affiliation to match the 60-day limit for presidential primaries. Voters wouldn’t be able to change their affiliation in the 59 days before the primary election date, under the bill.

Primary elections are held to choose a candidate for the general election when more than one candidate from the same party runs for office. Delaware has a closed primary, meaning that only Republican or Democratic-affiliated voters can choose their nominee for the general election.

The state’s April 2 presidential primary was canceled by lawmakers after Republican candidate Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign against former President Donald Trump. With President Joe Biden unopposed in Delaware - and provisions not allowing non-candidates as some other states – the move by Haley left all races uncontested in Delaware.