Today is officially election day in the United States, although early voting began in Delaware on October 25 and continued through November 3 at 7 PM.
Locations near Milford where voters can cast ballots including Felton Fire Hall, Harrington Fire Hall, Houston Fire Hall, Frederica Senior Center, Lake Forest High School and Milford High School in Kent County. In Sussex County, polling places in the area are located at Milton Elementary School, Mariner Middle School, H.O. Brittingham School, The Crossing, Ellendale Fire Hal, First Baptist Church of Milford, Lulu M. Ross Elementary School, Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center, Mispillion Elementary School, Ellendale Fire Hall and Memorial Volunteer Fire Company, Slaughter Neck Community Action.
A full list of polling places can be found online, but voters should check their voter registration cards to see where they are required to vote. Showing identification is not required in Delaware although poll workers will ask voters to do so as proof of identity. Anyone who does not provide identification must fill out a form before voting. Identification includes a Delaware driver’s license or state-issued identification, United States passport, signed polling place or social security card, signed vehicle registration, signed credit card with a photo or a similar document that identifies the voter by photo or signature.
Poll workers are required by law to say the voters name before they vote. Children under 17 may accompany voters into the voting booth. It is a violation of Delaware code to wear items displaying a candidate’s name or likeness inside the polling place.
There are mixed feelings about early voting options with some preferring the ability to cast their ballot before election day while others would rather do so on November 5.
“I like having the option but it’s a tradition for me to vote on election day,” Jim Purcell said.
Others agreed with his sentiments.
“I’m voting on election day. However, very, very happy early voting is now a thing,” Lezlie Eustis commented. “One of the most important things we can do as a nation should not be confined to a single 12 to 14-hour window of time.”
Greg Ellingsworth had a unique reason for voting early.
“I voted early just in case I might die before election day and be counted as a Democratic vote,” Ellingsworth said.
Although not quite as unusual as Ellingsworth, Nadia Zychal also voted early in case something happened that would prevent her from voting on Tuesday.
“I voted in Ellendale. There was a line, but it moved along nicely,” Zychal said. “The volunteers kept it efficient. I didn’t want to leave my voice and vote to chance if something were to happen to prevent me from voting in person on election day.”
For others, it was simply a way to get one more thing off their plate or because they were not going to be in the area on election day.
“Voting early because I’ll be on vacation, however, I would have gone early anyway just to get it off my schedule!” Marissa King said.
For some, early voting allows them to vote without missing time from work. Currently, there is no law requiring employers to offer paid leave for voting purposes. A bill was introduced in 2022 in the House of Representatives that would require employers to give two hours paid leave as long as the employee gave two days’ notice they needed the time to vote, but it has not been passed yet.
Polling places are open from 7 AM until 8 PM.
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