Primary election polls open Tuesday morning. Here's what to know before you vote
Primary election day is Tuesday, Sept. 10, with many closely watched races finally coming to a head.
But before you head to the polls, here are five things to keep in mind:
Not all races have a primary
In Delaware, primary elections are held for contested races only. This means that no primary election will be held for races in which only one candidate from each party is on the ballot. Instead, these races – such as the race for Delaware's open seat in the U.S. Senate and some statehouse seats – will only appear on the general election ballot.
Some races are contested only for a specific party. In that case, only the party with multiple candidates vying for the nomination will be on the primary ballot.
Some races may be too close to call on election day
While it's always nice to know the projected winner of a party's candidacy on the day of the election, it's possible that some races will be too close to call Tuesday night. This is especially true for close races, which may come down to a small number of votes.
The race for the Democratic nomination for governor, for example, is expected to come down to the wire. Unofficial results will be published online at elections.delaware.gov.
You must vote at your assigned polling place
Unlike early voting, Delawareans voting in person on election day must vote at their assigned polling place. The location is listed on your voter registration card, which should have come in the mail after you registered.
If you are not sure of your polling place, you can search your address on ivote.de.gov. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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You can vote on races only in the party you're registered for
Only registered Democrats and Republicans can participate in the primary election. You cannot change your party or declare one at the polling place. When you enter the polling booth, you will be able to vote in races for your party only. For example, a registered Republican can vote in primary races between Republican candidates only.
This is not true for the general election, during which anyone can vote for any candidate regardless of party.
Your name and party will be called when you vote. That's normal
Before you head to the voting booth on Tuesday, a poll worker will say your name and party affiliation. The poll worker is required to do so by law, and the announcement is typically noted by any challengers at the location. Vote challengers are selected and authorized by candidates on the ballot and their party, and only one for each party is allowed at a polling place.
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Voters can be challenged if the challenger has a "valid reason" to believe the voter isn't duly registered, isn't who they say they are, doesn't live at their registered address or was bribed into voting. The challenge will immediately be decided by a majority vote by the inspector and judges of that polling place.
Challengers also typically note turnout among registered voters in their party to assess campaigning strategies.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware primary is Tuesday, Sept. 10. Here's what you should know
