Open or Closed Primary: Which System Delaware Uses

As voters, we're often told every election matters. But the rules governing those elections can be confusing. In Delaware, one of the biggest questions is about its primaries. The system used determines who gets to vote and how candidates are chosen.

The Direct Answer: A Closed System

Delaware operates a closed primary system. This means you must be a registered member of a political party to vote in its primary election. If you are registered as a Democrat, you can only vote in the Democratic primary. If you're a registered Republican, you can only vote in the Republican primary. This setup is designed to ensure that the members of a party are the ones who select their candidates for the general election, preventing influence from outside voters.

What This Means for Independent Voters

The group most impacted by Delaware's closed system is unaffiliated voters, often called independents. If you are not registered with either the Democratic or Republican party, you cannot participate in their primary elections. This effectively sidelines a significant and growing

portion of the electorate during a crucial stage of the election process. With many local and state-level races in Delaware being most competitive during the primary, and sometimes decided there, unaffiliated voters are left without a say in who their ultimate choices will be in November.

Want to Participate? Here’s the Process

If you are an unaffiliated voter or a member of a minor party and want to vote in an upcoming Democratic or Republican primary, you must change your party affiliation. This is a formal process that requires you to update your voter registration. Critically, this change must be made by a specific deadline, which is months before the primary election itself. For the 2026 primary election on September 15, the deadline for registered voters to change their party affiliation is Friday, May 29, 2026. You can make this change online through the state's iVote portal, by mail, or in person at a Department of Elections office.

A Note for Automatically Registered Voters

Delaware's Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) system, which registers eligible citizens to vote when they interact with the DMV, has a special exception. Because these individuals were not initially given a chance to select a party, those who were automatically registered and remain unaffiliated can declare a party and vote up to and including the day of the primary election in 2026. However, the 2026 primary will be the last election where this specific provision applies, as recent changes to the law will soon allow party selection during the AVR process.

The Debate Over Opening the Primaries

Delaware’s closed primary system is the subject of ongoing debate. Supporters argue that political parties are private organizations with the right to select their own nominees and that closed primaries prevent 'crossover' voting, where members of one party might try to sabotage another's primary by voting for a weaker candidate. On the other hand, opponents contend that primaries are funded by all taxpayers and should therefore be open to all voters. They argue that closed systems disenfranchise the growing number of independent voters and can lead to more polarized candidates who only appeal to their party's base. In Delaware, there have been legislative efforts, such as House Bill 188, to open primaries to unaffiliated voters, reflecting a broader national conversation about who gets to participate in the democratic process.