Delaware House Bill 65 Moves Primary Election Date to Fourth Tuesday in April

Original title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRIMARY ELECTIONS.

Last action · March 11, 2026: Amendment SA 1 to HB 65 - Introduced and Placed With BillSponsors: Stephanie Bolden and 11 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

Delaware House Bill 65 moves statewide, county, and municipal primary elections to the fourth Tuesday in April, aligning them with presidential primaries starting after December 31, 2026. The legislation adjusts candidate filing deadlines, withdrawal dates, filing fee notices, and background check schedules accordingly. Additionally, it updates the voter party-affiliation change blackout period to 60 days before the primary election.

Why it matters

Voters and candidates face shifted calendar deadlines for primary election filings and party changes, while election administrators must coordinate statewide, county, and municipal contests on a single spring date.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Registered Voters

Voters face a modified 60-day closed period for changing political party affiliation and a new April primary election date.

Directly affected

Candidates

Candidates must adjust to revised timelines for submitting and withdrawing notification of candidacy, filing fee notices, and background checks.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the new primary election date take effect?

The changes apply to all primary elections after December 31, 2026.

How does this bill affect when voters can change their political party?

The bill changes the 'closed' period during which a voter is not allowed to change their political affiliation to match the 60-day limit in 15 Del. C. § 3189.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

7 actions

Mar 11, 2026HouseCommittee
Amendment SA 1 to HB 65 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
Jan 29, 2026SenateIntroduced
Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate
May 14, 2025SenateCommittee
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 3 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits
Apr 8, 2025SenateIntroduced
Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate
Apr 8, 2025HouseFloor
Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 1 NO 1 ABSENT
Mar 19, 2025HouseCommittee
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in House with 6 On Its Merits

Show 1 earlier action

Mar 6, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced and Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in House

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →