Late nominations give Delaware voters more choices in November

August 31, 2026

Republicans added 10 candidates after Aug. 1, including eight during the final week before the deadline; Democrats added two

By George D. Rotsch, Editor, Delaware LIVE

DOVER, Del. — Delaware’s November ballot became considerably more competitive during August as the Republican Party nominated candidates for 10 offices that otherwise would have lacked a Republican contender.

Eight of those nominations were filed during the final week before Delaware’s Sept. 1 deadline for major parties to fill vacant ballot positions, according to the state Department of Elections.

The Democratic Party also made two late nominations, adding candidates for a Sussex County Senate seat and a New Castle County-area House district.

Brent Burdge, chair of the Northern DEGOP region where many of these candidates are running and a newly added candidate himself, stated, “Most of the candidates came forward to give voters in these communities real options in November. Incumbents and primary winners need to be challenged so voters can determine the future of their community. That’s how democracy works. These individuals are passionate about the neighborhoods and want to make a difference. They are knowledgeable about the community, local leaders, and understand the political process.”

“Contested elections allow voters to compare candidates, hear different positions and hold officeholders accountable,” concluded Burdge.

Republicans fill ballot vacancies

The 10 Republicans filed after Aug. 1 are:

Several of the newly nominated Republicans will face Democratic incumbents or the winners of Democratic primaries. Graham, for example, is positioned to face the winner of the Democratic primary for attorney general, where incumbent Kathy Jennings is seeking another term.

Some November matchups will not be complete until Delaware holds its statewide primary Sept. 15.

A rarely used route to the ballot

Ordinarily, Democratic and Republican candidates file by the July deadline and advance through a primary if more than one candidate seeks the same party’s nomination.

State law provides another route when no candidate from a major party has filed for an office. Party officials may nominate someone to fill that ballot vacancy by submitting a certificate of nomination to the Department of Elections by Sept. 1.

The late nominees do not go through a primary because no other candidate from their party filed for the same office.

Delaware’s online candidate records indicate that this year’s Republican recruitment effort is unusually large. Eight Republican nominations were filed during the final week before the deadline. No Democratic or Republican organization matched that total in the state’s date-stamped candidate lists from 2010 through 2024.

The closest comparison came in 2016, when Republicans filed five candidates during the closing days of the nomination period. That year’s late additions included candidates for Wilmington offices and Kent County positions.

That makes this year’s group the largest final-week addition by either major party in at least 16 years. Records before 2010 available on the Department of Elections website do not contain filing dates, making a longer historical comparison difficult.

More candidates, but difficult campaigns

Late nomination comes with disadvantages.

Candidates entering near the deadline have little time to raise money, recruit volunteers, introduce themselves to voters and develop positions on complicated state issues. Some will be challenging incumbents who have spent years building name recognition and campaign organizations.

A name on the ballot, therefore, does not necessarily create a competitive campaign. The new candidates will still have to demonstrate that they are prepared to serve and capable of making a serious case to voters.

Their presence nevertheless prevents several races from being decided without a general-election contest.

Unopposed candidates can still be held accountable by the public, news organizations and members of their own party. But an opposing candidate creates a more direct test. Debates become possible. Policy differences become clearer. Voters can evaluate competing records and priorities before selecting who will represent them.

That is a basic feature of representative government: Elections work best when voters have meaningful choices.

Some candidates remain provisional

Several late nominees are currently listed as provisional by the Department of Elections.

Provisional status does not mean a candidate has been rejected. It generally means the state is reviewing residency documentation or awaiting the results of a required criminal-history background check.

Candidates listed as qualified have completed those reviews and have been determined eligible to appear on the ballot. The Department of Elections periodically updates the list as reviews are completed and additional filings are processed.

Minor parties also added candidates during August. The Independent Party of Delaware nominated Austin Cassidy for auditor of accounts, Carolyn Frank for the 5th Senate District and Steven Washington for the 1st Senate District.

The result is a November ballot with more contested races than Delaware voters appeared likely to see only a few weeks ago. Whether the late nominees can build competitive campaigns remains an open question. But in the districts where they qualified, voters will at least have a decision to make.

To-go box:

What happened: Delaware Republicans nominated 10 candidates after Aug. 1, including eight during the final week before the Sept. 1 deadline.

Why it matters: The nominations give more voters a choice between major-party candidates in November.

Historical context: It is the largest final-week group added by either major party in at least 16 years, based on Delaware’s available date-stamped records.

What’s next: Several nominees must complete state qualification reviews, while some November matchups will be determined by the Sept. 15 primary.