VOTE411.org Prepares Voters for 2020 Elections Amid Coronavirus 

This nonpartisan voter education site, launched by the League of Women Voters of Delaware, offers a one-stop shop resource for candidate information, a voter registration tool, and other information voters can use to safely cast ballots during this time of mandated social distancing.

Date Changes

The presidential primary, originally scheduled for April 28, has been moved to July 7 and the statewide school board elections, originally scheduled for May 12, have been moved to July 21. Governor John Carney has declared self-quarantine or social distancing to be valid reasons to vote by absentee ballot and voters can apply for an absentee ballot. 

“The people want to vote,” says Carol Jones, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Delaware. “They want to cast their ballots legally and they do not want to put themselves or others at risk. We are grateful that the state is letting them do so this year through absentee voting. And we will continue to advocate for permanently removing barriers to our citizens exercising their right to vote.”

How Will this Influence Turnout?

“The restrictions imposed by the coronavirus could seriously affect voter turnout. This is especially worrisome for the school board elections, which already have extremely low voting rates in Delaware” adds Kim Wells, who manages the VOTE411 site. 

“Voters need as many options as possible to cast their ballots, and they need to learn about the candidates ahead of time. Informed voters are the cornerstone of a working democratic republic.”

VOTE411 gives voters simple tools that they can access online to stay informed on the status of the elections and navigate the voting process before election day. 

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.