National Voter Registration Day push is on; how to register in Delaware

Andrew Sharp
The News Journal
Voters heading to the polls at H.O. Brittingham Elementary in Milton.

Worried that in our elections, your vote doesn't count? 

There's one sure way to guarantee that: Not voting. 

"Six million Americans missed the election (in 2008) because they did not register to vote or they missed the deadline in their state," Matt Singer, one of the founders of National Voter Registration Day, told Business Insider in 2016. "That was an 'ah ha' moment for us." 

According to the official website, National Voter Registration Day began in 2012, and registered 750,000 voters in the election year of 2016. 

According to state of Delaware statistics, 692,449 voters were registered statewide as of the beginning of September. The state's total population is about 962,000, according to census data, meaning about 70 percent of residents are registered. 

The deadline to register for the 2018 general election is coming up soon: Saturday, Oct. 13. 

You can register online, print out a form and mail it in, or call the Department of Elections office in your county and ask them to mail you a form. 

Military members or overseas citizens can sign up via the Federal Voting Assistance Program website, or fill out Delaware's online form. The registration deadline for these voters is Oct. 22.  

You can register to vote in Delaware if you are a U.S. citizen, a resident of Delaware, and will be 18 or older on or before the next general election, according to the Delaware elections website

If you are a convicted felon, you may still be able to register to vote if you have served your sentence, depending on what the felony was. Disqualifying felonies, unless a  convict has been pardoned, include: 

  • Murder or manslaughter (but not vehicular homicide)
  • Offense against public administration involving bribery, improper influence or abuse of office
  • Felony sexual offenses

Find out more at the Department of Elections website

VOTING IN DELAWARE: 

Delaware changing voter registration forms amid legality concerns

The voter registration gap is widening in Delaware