Voter registration changes happening in Delaware
Election Season
DELAWARE – As we know, election season is here, and for those who plan to cast their vote, it’s important they locate their polling place and cast their ballot on election day. Elections are near and with dates changing in Delaware, residents need to make sure they’re registered.
“Our vote helps to dictate our destiny,” and that destiny is falling at the feet of Delaware residents according to Mike Brickner, Executive Director of the state’s ACLU. He says there are obstacles many face that can affect their voting experience. “We are finding that people are still facing potential barriers with being able to cast their vote. I think it’s important to remember that Delaware is sort of behind a lot of other States in terms of what voting rights advancements we have.”
Georgetown resident Michelle Hayes says she knows all too well about some of those barriers. “I do think that there is a lot of problems with transportation for some people. I know that the voting places change a lot so they are trying to accommodate, but there’s still people who would like to vote who aren’t able too.”
Kenneth ‘Bo’ McDowell is the Director of the Sussex County Department of Elections. He says one of the biggest changes this election cycle is that voters who wish to cast their ballots on September 10 must be registered on or before August 17th. “Early voting, that will start August 28th it runs 10 days consecutive except this year we have Labor Day… We are open on Saturday, August 17 from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, so if you do need to register to vote, come on in we’ll be here.”
Brickner believes the state needs to do more to get voters engaged. “I think in Delaware if we want to have a more engaged voting population, if we want to make sure that young people are voting, People of Color are voting, low- income people are voting we have to expand our system.”
McDowell says they won’t be open on the 1st and the 2nd due to the holiday, but you’re welcome to come in any other time to register, and Mike Brickner with the ACLU says if you don’t know where to go, you can always check out votedelaware.org for voting information.
