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Delaware state executive official elections, 2020
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| Delaware state executive official elections |
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| Election details |
| Filing deadline: July 14, 2020 |
| Primary: September 15, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Delaware |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2020 Impact of term limits in 2020 State government trifectas and triplexes |
| Other state executive elections |
Three state executive offices were up for election in Delaware in 2020:
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Insurance Commissioner
Candidates and election results
Governor
General election
General election for Governor of Delaware
Incumbent John C. Carney Jr. defeated Julianne Murray, Kathy DeMatteis, and John Machurek in the general election for Governor of Delaware on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John C. Carney Jr. (D) | 59.5 | 292,903 |
 | Julianne Murray (R)  | 38.6 | 190,312 | |
 | Kathy DeMatteis (Independent Party) | 1.2 | 6,150 | |
 | John Machurek (L) | 0.7 | 3,270 | |
| Total votes: 492,635 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Delaware
Incumbent John C. Carney Jr. defeated David Lamar Williams Jr. in the Democratic primary for Governor of Delaware on September 15, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John C. Carney Jr. | 84.8 | 101,142 |
 | David Lamar Williams Jr. | 15.2 | 18,169 | |
| Total votes: 119,311 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Delaware
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Delaware on September 15, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Julianne Murray | 41.2 | 22,819 |
 | Colin Bonini | 34.6 | 19,161 | |
 | Bryant Richardson | 7.7 | 4,262 | |
 | Scott Walker | 7.2 | 3,998 | |
| David Bosco | 6.6 | 3,660 | ||
 | David Graham | 2.8 | 1,547 | |
| Total votes: 55,447 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Neil Shea (R)
Lieutenant Governor
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Incumbent Bethany Hall-Long defeated Donyale Hall in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bethany Hall-Long (D) | 59.1 | 285,638 |
 | Donyale Hall (R) | 40.9 | 197,343 | |
| Total votes: 482,981 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kevin Baron (Independent)
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Bethany Hall-Long advanced from the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Donyale Hall advanced from the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.
Insurance Commissioner
General election
General election for Delaware Insurance Commissioner
Incumbent Trinidad Navarro defeated Julia Pillsbury in the general election for Delaware Insurance Commissioner on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Trinidad Navarro (D) | 59.5 | 286,743 |
 | Julia Pillsbury (R) | 40.5 | 195,305 | |
| Total votes: 482,048 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Delaware Insurance Commissioner
Incumbent Trinidad Navarro defeated Kayode Abegunde in the Democratic primary for Delaware Insurance Commissioner on September 15, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Trinidad Navarro | 64.1 | 73,847 |
 | Kayode Abegunde | 35.9 | 41,429 | |
| Total votes: 115,276 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Julia Pillsbury advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware Insurance Commissioner.
Context of the 2020 elections
Party control in Delaware
Delaware Party Control: 1992-2025
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Delaware utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[1]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Delaware, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Delaware, an individual must meet the following requirements:[3]
- The individual must be a United States citizen.
- The individual must be a resident of Delaware.
- The individual must be 18 years of age by Election Day.
- The individual must not have been adjudged mentally incompetent.
- The individual must not be under a felony sentence or convicted of a disqualifying felony.
According to the Delaware Department of Elections, "The voter registration deadline is the 4th Saturday before a Primary and General Election. Voter registration applications submitted via the voter portal, ivote.de.gov, by the deadline, or received by mail by the Department and postmarked by the deadline, will be considered to be submitted by the deadline."[4]
Automatic registration
- See also:Automatic voter registration
Delaware practices automatic voter registration through Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations and website. Individuals that complete an in-person or online application for a driver's license, learner's permit, or identification card, or completes an in-person or online application to change their name or address on these documents, are automatically registered to vote. An individual whose eligibility and citizenship status have been confirmed by the DMV is also automatically registered.[5][6]
According to the Department of Election's website, voters that are automatically registered are mailed a "Notice of Automatic Voter Registration," which includes a “Response to Automatic Voter Registration” form. AVR voters may use the form to update their voter registration, choose a party affiliation, or cancel their voter registration."[6]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Delaware has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Delaware does not allow same-day voter registration.[7][8]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Delaware, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Delaware does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "if you register to vote even though you know you are not eligible, you can be fined between $50.00 - $200.00 or imprisoned for 30 days to two years, or both."[9]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[10] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The state's voter portal allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Delaware requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting. Voters may sign an affidavit attesting to their identity instead of providing identification.[11][12]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of October 2025. Click here for the Delaware Department of Elections page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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When arriving at a polling place, a poll worker will ask you for proof of identity. A photo ID is not required. Examples of acceptable IDs:
When arriving at an Early Voting Site, a poll worker will ask you for proof of identity. A photo ID is not required. Permitted forms of identification include current:
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Early voting
Delaware permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
On June 28, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a ruling from the Delaware Superior Court and reinstated early voting in the state. In a 5-0 decision, the court ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove that they would be harmed by laws permitting early voting, and therefore had no standing to sue. The decision, therefore, did not rule on the lower court's determination that early voting was prohibited by the Delaware Constitution.[14] The court agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis to provide clarity to voters and election administrators before the November election.[15] To read more about this case, see here.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
An individual is eligible for an absentee/mail-in ballot for any of the following reasons:[16]
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Certain of these voters are eligible for a permanent absentee voting status and may request to be added to the permanent list on their ballot application.[16]
The deadline for eligible voters to request an absentee/mail-in ballot is no later than four days before an election.[17]
On October 7, 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a state law allowing any registered voter to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot.[18]
On eligibility, Article V, Section 4A, of the Delaware Constitution reads:[19][20]
| “ | The General Assembly shall enact general laws providing that any qualified elector of this State, duly registered, who shall be unable to appear to cast his or her ballot at any general election at the regular polling place of the election district in which he or she is registered, either because of being in the public service of the United States or of this State, or his or her spouse or dependents when residing with or accompanying him or her, because of the nature of his or her business or occupation, because of his or her sickness or physical disability, because of his or her absence from the district while on vacation, or because of the tenets or teachings of his or her religion, may cast a ballot at such general election to be counted in such election district.[13] | ” |
Past elections
2018
The following elections took place in 2018:
- Delaware Attorney General election, 2018
- Delaware Treasurer election, 2018
- Delaware Auditor election, 2018
- Delaware state executive official elections, 2018
- Delaware Attorney General election, 2018 (September 6 Republican primary)
- Delaware Attorney General election, 2018 (September 6 Democratic primary)
See also
| Delaware | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Del. Code Online, "§ 3110. Qualifications of voters," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Code, "§ 4947. Time and manner of closing election," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "Qualifications," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "Voter Registration," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Automatic Voter Registration at DMV," June 20, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Delaware Department of Elections, "Automatic Voter Registration FAQs," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ AP, "Delaware justices nix vote-by-mail, same-day registration," October 7, 2022
- ↑ NCSL, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "State of Delaware All-In-One Form to Register to Vote or Update Your Information," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "Voting in Delaware," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Code, "§ 4937. Voting procedure," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ WHYY, "Delaware Supreme Court restores access to early voting, permanent absentee voting," February 23, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "In unanimous ruling, Court sides with Jennings on voting rights," June 28, 2024
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Delaware Department of Elections, "Request for an Absentee Ballot for Primary, General and/or Special Elections," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Online, "Delaware Supreme Court finds vote by mail, same-day registration unconstitutional," October 7, 2022
- ↑ Delaware Code Online, "Article V. Elections." accessed October 27, 2025
- ↑ Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, "Higgin v. Albence: Memorandum Opinion," September 14, 2022
