House Passes Election Information Bill

The House passed a bill last week that would ensure Delaware voters receive accurate and timely election information.  House Bill 82 passed uanimously, and would require the Department of Elections every two years to mail a notice to all registered voters containing pertinent information including their polling place, the dates and times of the general and any primary elections, registration deadlines, and polling place and early voting policies and procedures. 

Currently, residents receive a card in the mail with their polling location and election districts, but these cards do not give residents the full picture of their voting options. 

Rep. Griffith explained that in addition to offering the registrant important voting information, HB 82 would also direct the Department to follow a procedure in existing Code for attempting to update and verify voting registration records should the notice be returned as undeliverable.

HB 82 has been assigned to the Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committe in the Senate. This seems like a must pass bill for this year so it will likely get released from committee and passed next week.

House Bill 82 – Election Information Notice to All Registered Voters	Currrent Status – House Passed 37-0-4. Senate Elections & Government Affairs 6/15/23
House Sponsors – Griffith, Baumbach, Carson, Chukwuocha, Heffernan, Morrison, Wilson-Anton // Short, Yearick	Senate Sponsors – Paradee, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Sokola
House Yes Votes – Baumbach Bolden Bush Carson Chukwuocha Cooke Dorsey-Walker Griffith Harris Heffernan Johnson Lambert Longhurst Lynn Matthews Morrison Neal Parker-Selby Phillips Romer Schwartzkopf Williams Wilson-Anton // Briggs King Collins Dukes Gray Hensley Morris Postles Ramone Short Shupe Smith Spiegelman Vanderwende Yearick	Senate Yes Votes –
House No Votes – None	Senate No Votes –
House Absents or Not Voting – Osienski, Hilovsky, Moore, Minor Brown	Senate Absent or Not Voting –

“The last three years have shown the importance of providing registered voters the most accurate and clear information relative to elections, both primary and general,” said Rep. Griffith.

“We have a responsibility to inform voters about how and when to participate in elections at every level,” said Sen. Trey Paradee, the Senate prime sponsor of HB 82. “This legislation is especially important as the General Assembly continues to pass new laws that increase access to the ballot box.”