Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Voters head to the polls for Delaware primary

While a record number of people are expected to vote-by-mail in today’s Delaware Primary, many are still showing up to cast a ballot in person.

“I live close and I feel it was important to come in and vote,” said Deb Fleischer, who voted at Fairview Elementary School.

 

Fleischer explained why she decided to vote in-person, saying mailing in her ballot may have been easier.

“And I think a lot of people have chosen that [today]," said Fleischer. "But this is just what I choose.”

Scott Berry voted in person at Booker T. Washington Elementary School.

 

He says that’s what people should do.

 

“I’m not afraid of the virus,” said Berry.

One Dover resident, Anita, who also voted at Booker T. Washington Elemetary, encouraged others to get out and do the same, if they didn’t vote by mail.

Credit Roman Battaglia / Delaware Public Media
/
Delaware Public Media
The polling place at Lulu Ross Elementary school was quiet during the early afternoon Tuesday.

 

“Stay strong everybody. Don’t downgrade it. It’s important that everybody get out there and vote. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from - everybody deserves the right to vote,” she said

 

 

Similar sentiments were expressed by in person voters in New Castle and Sussex Counties.

 

 

“I don’t trust that my vote will stay the same. I believe it will be changed, erased, shredded,” said Pamela Gordon after voting at Milford High School.

Gordon, a stay-at-home mother and staunch Democrat, adds she's worried vote-by-mail could be compromised because of the Trump administration's efforts to stop people from voting by mail.

And the worries about vote-by-mail were heard across party lines.

 

Sarah Botte, a retired Republican voter, says the current crisis at the U.S. Postal Service influenced her to come in person.

 

“Because the mail has been slow," Botte said. "I know for me I mail packages to Colorado and where it would take three days priority it takes more than a week.”

 

Credit Sophia Schmidt / Delaware Public Media
/
Delaware Public Media
Voters found campaign signs and workers on their way into voter at Wilmington's Shortlidge Academy.

A steady stream of voters showed up at several polling places in Wilmington, where the hotly contested races for Mayor, Treasurer and nearly all the City Council seats will be decided in the Democratic primary. 

 

Denise Williams voted in person at Shortlidge Academy in Brandywine Village.

She was worried about the reliability of the mail.

 

“I don’t want anything to happen because the way the mail’s happening today, you’re not getting your mail on time, and I don’t know if the people are going to get the information of my vote, so it’s best for me to come and do it in person," said Williams.

 

But Robin, a resident of northeast Wilmington who cast her ballot at P.S. DuPont Middle School, said voting in person is just what she does.

 

“I like to see the people who come out and vote," she said. "I am a supporter, and I’m here even if someone needed a ride, I woulda brung ‘em. I’m getting ready to go get my mother now.”

 

Just over 108,000 people requested vote-by-mail ballots. As of Monday, 69,000 people had returned a ballot. That is already more than half the amount of people that voted in the 2018 primary.

 

Turnout for primaries is traditionally low in the First State. Since 2000, only once have the Democrats or Republicans managed to draw over 30% of their voters to a primary. That was in 2010 when Republican turnout was 32%, driven by the GOP primary for U.S. Senate between former Delaware Gov. and Congressman Mike Castle and Christine O'Donnell. O'Donnell won that race in an upset.

 

The Democrats' high water mark since 2000 came in 2008 when Jack Markell defeated John Carney in a Democatic primary for governor.

 

Races on the ballot this year include a six-person GOP primary for Governor. The party endorsed Julianne Murray faces State Senators Colin Bonini and Bryant Richardson, as well as Scott Walker, David Graham and David Bosco. Bonini was the Republican's choice in 2016 and lost to Gov. John Carney in the General election. Walker won the GOP primary for U.S. House in 2018 before losing to Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester in the General election.

 

There are also Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate. Incumbent Sen. Chris Coons faces progressive newcomer Jessica Scarane. The winner of that race will face the winner of the Republican primary between Lauren Witzke and James DeMartino.

 

Credit Sophia Schmidt / Delaware Public Media
/
Delaware Public Media
The Wilmington polling place at Woodlawn Library was also fairly quiet mid-afternoon Tuesday

And the next mayor of Wilmington will be decided in a three-way Democratic primary between incumbent Mike Purzycki, Velda Jones-Potter and Justen Wright.  No Republican filed in that race.

The sidewalks in front of many polling places in Wilmington were lined with signs and crowded with campaign volunteers—for that race, those for City Council, and others.

A voter named Naim cast his ballot at Shortlidge Academy in Brandywine Village. He was focused on the Mayor’s race, and is looking for change.

 

“So I was very interested in the candidates who were running against Purzycki, and all of that — so I was very focused on their vision for the city,” he said.

 

Denise Williams says she was focused on the races for 2nd District City Council and Mayor. 

 

“Billy Lane, and— what’s his name? Justen Wright,” Williams responded when asked who she cast her ballot for Tuesday.

But Williams says her top focus is the Presidential race in the general election on Nov. 3. 

The polls are open until 8 p.m. Tuesday and you can join Delaware Public Media for live election night coverage starting at 8:30 p.m.

 
 

Kelli Steele has over 30 years of experience covering news in Delaware, Baltimore, Winchester, Virginia, Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego, California.
Sophia Schmidt is a Delaware native. She comes to Delaware Public Media from NPR’s Weekend Edition in Washington, DC, where she produced arts, politics, science and culture interviews. She previously wrote about education and environment for The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, MA. She graduated from Williams College, where she studied environmental policy and biology, and covered environmental events and local renewable energy for the college paper.
Roman Battaglia grew up in Portland, Ore, and now reports for Delaware Public Media as a Report For America corps member. He focuses on politics, elections and legislation activity at the local, county and state levels.