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Ballot access requirements for political parties in Delaware
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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.
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Although there are hundreds of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.
To learn more about ballot access requirements for political candidates in Delaware, click here.
Process for a political party to obtain ballot status
See statutes: Title 15, Chapter 30 of the Delaware Code
Definitions
According to Delaware law, a political party is "[A]ny political organization which elects a state committee and officers of a state committee, by a state convention composed of delegates elected from each representative district in which the party has registered members, and which nominates candidates for electors of President and Vice-President, or nominates candidates for offices to be decided at the general election."[1] According to the law:[1]
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All political parties shall be divided into 2 classes: a. “Major political party” means any political party which, as of December 31 of the year immediately preceding any general election year, has registered in the name of that party voters equal to at least 5 percent of the total number of voters registered in the State. b. “Minor political party” means any political party which does not qualify as a major political party.[2] |
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Gaining ballot access
In Delaware, a political party will not be listed on the general election ballot unless the number of registered voters affiliated with the party by 21 days before the primary election equals at least 0.1% of the total registered voters in the state as of December 31 of the year prior to the election.[3]
Political parties
As of May 2024, Delaware officially recognized seven political parties. [4]
| Party | Website link | By-laws/platform link |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party of Delaware | ||
| Democratic Party of Delaware | Link | Party platform |
| No Labels Party | Link | Party platform |
| Independent Party of Delaware | Link | Party platform |
| Libertarian Party of Delaware | Link | Party platform |
| Non-Partisan Delaware | Link | |
| Republican Party of Delaware | Link | Party platform |
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See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Delaware
- Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Delaware
- List of political parties in the United States
- Democratic Party of Delaware
- Republican Party of Delaware
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Delaware Code Online, "§ 101. Definitions," accessed July 7, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Delaware Code Online, "§ 3001. Political parties," accessed July 7, 2025
- ↑ State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Political Party Ballot Status," accessed May 20, 2024
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