Sussex County voter registration climbs since last presidential election

The presidential election is just over a month away and more and more people are becoming registered voters.

Kenneth McDowell has been Sussex County Department of Elections Director since 1991. He says he’s been seeing more first time voters come in to register this year compared to years past.

“I’ve seen people come in and register for the first time that are forty fifty years old and have never voting before in their life and they’re coming in to vote for in this case the president situation,” says McDowell.

So far, Sussex County has just under 155,000 registered voters, which is roughly 20,000 more than in the last presidential election in 2012.

McDowell thinks its due to the public’s energy surrounded this election.

47 ABC caught up with this couple from Seaford who admit they will be going on vacation during the election and were eager to get their absentee ballots in now.

“Anybody who has gotten this far enough in society to be Able to register to vote certainly needs to voice their opinion in this election most of all but in any election,” explains Madeline Marcus.

Even with an increase in interest and registered voters, it doesn’t guarantee that every voter will actually vote. McDowell says in 2012, they had a voter turnout of 68 percent and he’s hoping to match that or surpass it since registering and voting have become so easy.

You just need two forms of identification. You can use your state issued ID or driver’s license, car registration, or letters sent to your house. Basically anything with an address on it sent to you through the post office can count as your forms of identification. Although, a social security card does not count as an accepted form of identification.

With the registration deadline approaching, the Department of Elections offices in each county will have extended hours and they’re open on Saturdays to answer any and all of your voting questions.

The last day to register to vote in Delaware is October 15th. It can be done at any Department of elections office or online.