Delaware Voting Rights Act Campaign

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For the past 60 years, the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) has been a critical tool in the fight against discriminatory voting laws and voter suppression practices — ensuring that voters of all backgrounds have equal opportunity to participate in our country’s democratic process.  

Over the years, Supreme Court decisions have substantially weakened the VRA. And now, a coordinated attack on voting rights — from burdensome registration requirements to inadequate polling sites in minority communities, to dilutive voting maps — threatens to destroy this crucial pillar of American democracy. Growing anti-voter measures disproportionately target voters of color, voters with disabilities and elderly voters, voters whose first language is not English, low-income voters, among others.   

These attacks are only accelerating. That’s why Delaware must pass the Delaware Voting Rights Act (DEVRA) to protect and expand the right to vote in Delaware. Join our efforts to push back against the assault on democracy until every vote matters and every voice is heard.  

The DEVRA campaign aims to:

  1. Advocate for the passage of the DEVRA  

  2. Lead public education efforts on the importance of the DEVRA  

  3. Ensure VRA protections for Delaware voters 

64% of Delawareans support the passage of a state-level VRA.

According to 2023 polling conducted by the ACLU of Delaware and Public Policy Polling, the majority of Delawareans are in favor of passing a DEVRA that focuses on protecting the rights of vulnerable voters. 

California (2002), Washington (2018), Oregon (2019), Virginia (2021), New York (2022), Connecticut (2023), Minnesota (2024), and Colorado (2025) have enacted State VRAs. Other states like Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey have made progress towards enacting similar legislation in recent years. 

Learn More About State VRA Efforts

A map of SVRA efforts across the county.

Stay Involved

Become a Voting Rights Volunteer 

We can't do this without you. Submit this form, and a staff member will be in touch with volunteer opportunities and other ways you can get involved in the fight to protect voting rights in Delaware. 

VOLUNTEER 

Share Your Voting Story 

Have you encountered voter suppression or discriminatory and unfair election procedures that shut your community out of the political process? Share your story to help us advocate for safe, secure, and accessible voting for all Delawareans.   

SHARE YOUR STORY

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a state VRAs important for Delaware?

The federal VRA has been slowly chipped away at for decades, and in recent yars , anti-voter policies have increased dramatically across the country. We can no longer rely on the federal VRA to uphold voting protections against those who seek to challenge our democracy.   

Delaware is not immune from these attacks. The DEVRA is an important legal tool that would allow Delaware to push back against attacks on voting rights and longstanding injustices, as well as replace lost or weakened protections for Delaware voters. Time and time again, Delaware has been on the frontlines of the fight for our rights. By passing the DEVRA, Delaware can protect all voters from anti-democratic forces that threaten Delawareans’ right to vote. 

READ MORE ABOUT THE RISKS

How does a state VRA get passed in Delaware?

To pass DEVRA, the Delaware General Assembly must introduce and guide it through legislative hearings, committee votes, and floor votes in both legislative chambers (the Delaware State House and Senate). The legislation must then be signed into law by Governor Meyer.   

This process takes time and involves joint efforts from legislative champions, voting rights advocates, election officials, community activists, and Delaware voters.   

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

How many states have passed state-level VRAs?

California (2002), Washington (2018), Oregon (2019), Virginia (2021), New York (2022), Connecticut (2023), Minnesota (2024), and Colorado (2025) have enacted State VRAs.  

Other states like  Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey have made progress towards enacting similar legislation in recent years. 

Learn More About State VRA Efforts

Our Partners

Legal Defense Fund (LDF)

The ACLU of Delaware is proud to partner with the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). Using the power of law, narrative, research, and people, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) defends the humanity and advances the rights of Black people in America.

LDF is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law firm. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has always been transformative: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF has led efforts to advance the passage of state VRAs across the country. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT LDF

Delaware Voting Rights Coalition (DVRC)

The ACLU of Delaware is proud to partner with the Delaware Voting Rights Coalition (DVRC) — Delaware's first statewide coalition of voting rights organizations and advocates. 

The DVRC empowers communities, especially communities of color, people who speak English as a second language, people involved in the justice system, people with disabilities, and young people, to identify and remedy barriers to the ballot box. The coalition is ready to work with legislators, local election officials, and the Department of Elections to make these reform recommendations a reality.

Learn more about DVRC