Delaware committee weighs HB65 to align primary with presidential election

WILMINGTON- Delaware lawmakers are once again considering a proposal to move the state’s primary election to align with the presidential primary. 

During a committee hearing on Wednesday, Rep Stephanie Bolden , the bill’s sponsor, made her case for House Bill 65, which would shift the state’s primary election to the fourth Tuesday in April, aligning them with the presidential primary.

“This marks the eighth year I have introduced HB65,” Bolden said.

Bolden referenced the elections in 2022, and that only 16.2% of registered voters participated in primary elections, and in 2024, it was only 22.41%.

“Turnout in Delaware’s primary elections has been historically low,” she said. 

Benefits of HB65

The bill has gained support from voting rights organizations and advocacy groups.

Dr. Michael Benson, political action co-chair for the Delaware NAACP, expressed his support for the bill.

“Imagine a system where voting is more accessible, turnout increases, and elections are streamlined—this is a win-win,” Benson said.

Andrew Bernstein, a voting rights fellow at ACLU of Delaware, pointed to case studies in other cities that had positive outcomes.

“Baltimore and Los Angeles saw significant increases in turnout after implementing similar changes. Reducing the number of election dates makes voting easier for those with work or childcare obligations,” he said.

Anthony Albence, Delaware’s State election commissioner, testified that the bill would save the state an estimated $1.5 million due to reductions in election administration costs. He also highlighted a critical operational improvement, the ability to send ballots to military and overseas voters in a timely manner.

“Right now, we have only 72 hours to meet the 45-day deadline after the primary election,” Albence said.

Potential risks and challenges

While this change offers potential benefits, it also raises several concerns. Critics argue that the earlier filing deadline may discourage late-deciding candidates from running, limiting voter choice.

Jill Itzkowitz, elections & voting chair for the League of Women Voters of Delaware confirmed LWV will remain neutral on the bill.

“Although we see benefits with this move, we see many issues.” Itzkowitz wrote in a statement.

LWVDE hosts many candidate forums and collects candidate survey responses for their online tool, VOTE411 for general and primary elections.

“Currently, it is difficult to schedule forums and collect survey responses because of the short time between the state primary in September, and the general election in November, especially given early voting and absentee ballots.”

Another major concern is ensuring that voters have adequate time and resources to learn about the candidates and their positions before casting their ballots. Without sufficient opportunities for engagement, debates, and outreach, voters may find themselves making decisions with limited information.

“Changing the primary to April will help this issue, but will cause a problem with educating voters about primary candidates. With the general assembly still in session in April, Easter, Passover, and spring break, it will be nearly impossible to host forums and get candidates to respond to our surveys. We realize that changing the date may increase voter turnout, but it will be at the expense of having a knowledgeable electorate.”

HB65 stalls in Committee but still could move forward

While three committee members voted in favor, the committee lacked the necessary fourth vote to release the bill. Representative Bolden said she would seek signatures from absent committee members to move forward.

“We need four votes to release the bill,” she noted. “Since we are short, I will walk the bill to the absent committee members to obtain their signatures,” Bolden said.

The proposal has been brought forward multiple times in previous legislative sessions, receiving bipartisan support in the House but stalling in the Senate.

If enacted, the change would not take effect until the 2028 presidential election cycle.