DOVER, Del. - A voting rights rally drew a crowd to Legislative Hall in Dover on Tuesday, as supporters gathered behind a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at expanding access to the ballot in Delaware.
Advocates lined up to show support for legislation that would allow “no-excuse absentee voting,” meaning voters could cast a mail-in ballot without having to provide a reason.
For rally attendee David Rugg, the issue goes beyond any single bill.
“Every vote counts,” Rugg said. “And I personally believe we should be making voting as easy as possible.”
Under current Delaware law, voters must provide a valid excuse to vote absentee. Supporters of the legislation argue that requirement can create unnecessary barriers for some residents.
“You have people who have a difficult time physically getting there — work, family,” Rugg said. “All of that can interfere with the ability to vote.”
The issue has been a point of debate in the First State for years. In 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a previous attempt at no-excuse mail-in voting, ruling it unconstitutional. Lawmakers are now pursuing a constitutional amendment to address that ruling.
But, not everyone is convinced a change is needed.
Matt Revel, the communications director for the Senate Republican Caucus, shared that there were general concerns with the legislation.
“[A few senators believe] we have that established process already in place,” said Matt Revel. “So why reinvent the wheel?”
Some Republican lawmakers have also raised concerns about language in the bill related to permanent absentee voting, which would allow certain voters to automatically receive mail-in ballots.
Despite those concerns, the measure gained some bipartisan support, and the Senate ultimately approved the bill Tuesday afternoon.
The legislation now heads to Governor Matt Meyer for his signature. Because it is a proposed constitutional amendment, it must also pass again during next year’s General Assembly session before it can take effect.