Sen. Darius Brown is a Democrat serving the 2nd District (Wilmington). He is the chair of the Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee.
The First State experienced a primary election Sept. 10, with a wide array of candidates vying for offices at the local, state and federal levels. This consequential primary election was coupled with over 50,000 newly registered voters — a record number made possible due to 2021 legislation that created Delaware’s automatic voter registration process. Despite the significance of this election and the growing electorate, primary voter turnout in Delaware was notably low.
According to the Delaware Department of Elections, only 22.41% of Delaware registered voters participated in this recent primary election. This reveals an alarming trend because low voter turnout in the primary can carry through to the general election, as was evident with the 2022 general election, during which voter turnout was less than 50% .
As the chair of the Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee, I believe it is time to heighten our focus on voter mobilization, particularly as we have made great strides in the Delaware General Assembly to reduce barriers for eligible voters. For example, our state established early voting, which more than 55,000 Delawareans took advantage of during the first election cycle it was available. I have also worked diligently to fortify the advancements we have made to increase access to absentee voting — introducing a constitutional amendment that would have instituted no-excuse absentee voting. Even with this progress, more must be done to empower Delawareans to exercise their voices with their votes.