HB 93 – Reforming Muncipality Voter Registration

It never made any sense to me why certain towns downstate kept their voter registration records and apparatus for their town elections apart from the state Department of Elections statewide voter registration system. Seemed like unnecessary and duplicative work that was wasteful spending. Yet many towns or municipalities did indeed maintain their own voter rolls, and it was not enough to register to vote in the state to vote in the town elections, you had to register with the town too.

In January 2021, of the 57 incorporated municipalities in this State, the following 12 municipalities had an agreement with the Department of Elections to use the State’s Voter Registration System to determine if a resident of the municipality is eligible to vote in a municipal election: Camden, Delaware City, Dover, Elsmere, Georgetown, Harrington, New Castle, Newark, Smyrna, Townsend, Wilmington, and Wyoming.

Since January 2021, the General Assembly has adopted charter changes authorizing Laurel, Lewes, Milton, and Seaford to use the State’s Voter Registration System, and Milford adopted an ordinance to do so.

The residents of the remaining municipalities are required to register with the municipality before voting in a municipal election. While some municipalities are exploring ending municipal voter registration requirements, and the General Assembly has authorized some to do so by changing their charter, House Bill 93 would do so for all municipalities as it relates to resident voters.

A municipality would continue to be required to maintain municipal voter registration requirements for nonresident voters, as those voters would not be included in the State’s Voter Registration System.

House Bill 93 – Reforming Muncipality Voter Registration	Currrent Status – House Administration 3/28/2
House Sponsors – Shupe	Senate Sponsors – Hocker // Lockman
House Yes Votes –	Senate Yes Votes –
House No Votes –	Senate No Votes –
House Absents or Not Voting –	Senate Absent or Not Voting –