2024 OVERVIEW
What to know ahead of the school board elections - Tuesday, May 14, Polls open 7 am - 8 pm.
To find your school district and polling places in your district, visit ivote.de.gov, and enter your residential address.
For more information visit the Delaware Department of Elections school board website at bit.ly/doe-schoolboardelections-2024
You can vote at any polling place location in your school district.
To vote in Delaware's School Board Election, you must be:
- A citizen of the United States and resident of the State of Delaware.
- A resident of the school district for which the election is being conducted.
- 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.
You do not have to be registered in order to vote in school board elections.
The following school districts DO NOT have a school board election:
- Brandywine
- Caesar Rodney
- Capital
- Milford
- Smyrna
- Cape Henlopen
- Laurel
- Seaford
The following school districts have a school board election:
- Appoquinimink
- Christina
- Colonial
- red Clay
- Indian River (Nominating District 4)
- Lake Forest
- Delmar
- Woodbridge
All eligible voters living in a school district with an election are permitted to vote in all races happening within the school district - regardless of nominating district.*
*This does not include Indian River. you must live in nominating district 4 to vote in Indian River school board elections.
ABSENTEE VOTING
If you are unable to vote in person on election day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot.
To vote absentee you must qualify for one of the reasons listed on the Department of Elections website. View the full list at bit.ly/absentee-school
To vote in Delaware's School Board Election, you bust be:
- A citizen of the United States and resident of the State of Delaware.
- A resident of the school district for which the election is being conducted.
- 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.
You do not have to be registered in order to vote in school board elections.
Permanent absentee voters must still apply to vote absentee for school board elections.
You can request an absentee ballot by:
- Visiting ivote.de.gov
- Downloading and returning the absentee ballot request form
- Calling or emailing the Department of Elections to request an application.
- Picking up an application at the Department of Elections
You must request your absentee ballot by noon on Friday, May 10.
For video assistance visit bit.ly/requestabsenteeballot2024
Note: You can review the status of your absentee ballot at ivote.de.gov
Your ballot must be recieved by the Department of Elections office for your county by 8 pm on Election Day, Tuesday May 14. you can return your ballot by:
- Placing the ballot in the U.S. Mail
- Dropping off the ballot at the Department of Elections office in your county.
You can vote absentee in-person at your county Department of Elections office between 8:30 am and 4 pm on business days, or between 8:30 am and noon the day before the election. You must bring ID.
For video assistance, visit bit.ly/voteabsentee2024
ELECTION DAY
Delaware voters can cast their ballot in person on election day - Tuesday, May 14, polls open 7 am - 8 pm.
To vote in Delaware's School Board Election, you must be:
- A citizen of the United States and resident of the State of Delaware.
- A resident of the school district for which the election is being conducted.
- 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.
You do not have to be registered in order to vote in school board elections.
ALl eligible Delawre votes can cast their ballot in person on Election Day - Tuesday, May 14. Polls are open from 7 am - 8 pm.
To find your school district, visit ivote.de.gov.
To find the polling places in your school district, visit ivote.de.gov and enter your residential address.
You can vote at any polling place location in your school district.
Voters must show one of the following forms of ID:
- State-issued photo ID
- Utility bill
- Paycheck
- Any government document with the voter's name and address
If you do not have one of the above forms of ID, you can sign an affidavit of affirmation that you are the person listed on the election district record.
- If the polls close while you're still in line, stay in line - you have the right to vote.
- If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
- If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
ACCESSIBILITY
Federal law requires elections to be accessible to all eligible voters.
Federal law requires elections to be accessible to voters with disabilities. This includes the right to:
- Vote privately and independently.
- Vote in a polling place that is accessible and free of physical barriers.
- Use an accessible voting machine.
- Assistance fro a person of your choice except an employer or union representative.
- Assistance at any point as a means of accommodation.
Election Officers and poll workers must make reasonable accommodations as needed to help you vote. If you believe that your poling place is not accessible, you should contact the Department of Elections for your county before the day of the election to make other arrangements to vote.
For video assistance on accessible voting options, visit bit.ly/accessiblevotingde
Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice except an employer or union representative.
If you have trouble voting due to lack of English fluency, call one of these hotlines:
- Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
- Arabic: 1-884-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
- Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese: 1-888-API-VOTE / 1-888-274-8683
Individuals with disabilities who encounter issues at their polling places or have questions can contact:
Joann Kingsley (jkingsley@declasi.org)
Voting Rights Advocate
Disabilities Law Program
Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.
800-292-7980 or 302-856-2027
Accessible voting machine features:
- Adjustable height for standing or seated voters.
- Connection for sip-and-puff devices.
Voters who are blind or have a visual impairment can:
- Change the screen or display larger text and high contrast.
- Use headphones to listen to ballot text.
- Black out the screen for privacy
- Adjust the audio volume and speed.
- Use an audio-tactile keypad with Braille legends.
- Hear a read-back of their sections.
If you experience a problem wiht the acess to voting or any other voting proble covered by Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) you may file a formal complaint. You must submit your complaint to the Office of the State Election Commissioner or any of the Departments of Elections for the counties.
The complaint must be:
- In writing.
- Notarized.
- Signed and sworn by the voter.
If the complain is originally submitted to the Department of Elections for the county, it will be forwareded to the State Election Commissioner on the same day it was received.
If you requrie assistance filing a complaint, contact Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) at 800-292-7980 or 302-856-2027 or by email at jkingsley@declasi.org
A voter using the ExpressVote XL audio-tactile keypad, listening to the ballot text by wearing headphones.