A new ordinance approved by Wilmington City Council Thursday night requires city landlords to provide voter registration information to tenants 18 years or older.
The ordinance was introduced by councilwoman and Lt. Governor candidate Sherry Dorsey Walker, who says the goal is to make it easier for transient residents to vote.
“Say for instance in Browntown and Hedgeville. If you cross Maryland Ave, you’re just going to assume – I’m going to vote at the same place," she said. "Your polling place may change, and if you’re unaware of that and you get to the polling place and you want to vote and you find out your polling place is someplace different, the frustration levels go up especially if you’ve been standing in line.”
Walker says she hopes even slumlords will at least provide tenants with the information necessary to vote, insisting it’s only one more piece of paper to fill out.
She also hopes the ordinance will increase voter turnout, especially in high-rental areas like the City of Wilmington.
