Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 140 - REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 56 OF THE REVISED CODE OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AS AMENDED ENTITLED "REGISTRATION OF VOTERS," RELATING TO REGISTRATION AND DELIVERY OF REGISTRATION BOOKS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

Section 1. That paragraph 10, Section 1 of Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware be and the same is hereby repealed.

Section 2. That paragraph 8, 1621, Section 3, Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware as amended be repealed and that a new paragraph be inserted in lieu thereof as follows:

The said books shall contain at least seven parallel columns for entries of the word "Voted." The person making the said entry shall mark the date of such entry at the head of the column.

Section 3. That 1622 Section 4 of Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware as amended be further amended by striking out all of said 1622 Section 4 and inserting in lieu thereof the following new Section to be known as 1622 Section 4.

1622. Section 4. Delivery of Books by Governor; When; to Whom; by Sheriff; When; To Whom; By Department of Elections for Wilmington; When; To Whom:--

The sheriff of each County shall, sometime previous to the first Saturday in July in every year in which a general registration is held, deliver to each Registrar of each election district in his County, two of the books known as "Registers" and two of the books known as "Books of Registered Voters"; provided however, that the Sheriff of New Castle County shall not deliver said books for the several election districts in the City of Wilmington.

The Department of Elections for the City of Wilmington shall within one week before the first day of registration of voters in every year in which a general registration is held, deliver to the Registrar of each election district in the City of Wilmington, two books known as "Register" and two of the books known as "Book of Registered Voters," all of which said books addressed to the Registrar of each election district of the County, the Governor shall cause to be delivered to the Sheriff in each of the Counties of this State and to the Department of Elections for the City of Wilmington respectively, at least five days before the first day of July in every year in which a general registration is held.

Section 4. That 1625, Section 7, Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware as amended be and the same is hereby further amended by striking out paragraphs two and three of the said 1625, Section 7 and inserting in lieu thereof the following new paragraphs:

In those years in which a supplementary registration is had, as provided for in section 6 of this Chapter it shall be the duty of the Registrar and two Assistant Registrars appointed in each election district in this State to register the names of all qualified voters in each such election district, whose names do not appear as qualified voters on the registers of the next previous general registration, and to that end they shall sit for the purpose of ascertaining and registering the persons who are qualified to enjoy the right of an elector and who shall apply in person for registration, and whose names do not already appear as qualified voters on the Registers of the next previous general registration, at such public and suitable places in their respective election districts as will, in their judgment, be the most convenient for the voters thereof, from eight o'clock A. M. until seven o'clock P. M., with an intermission from twelve to one o'clock, on the third Saturday in July, on the second Thursday in August and on the third Saturday next preceding the day of the election.

Outside of the City of Wilmington each of said Registrars, at least ten days before the first sitting for the purpose of registration, shall give public notice, by advertisement, posted in ten or more of the most public places in his election district, of the places where the registration officers shall sit for the registration of voters as aforesaid and the day or days when they will sit at each of said places. In the City of Wilmington the Department of Elections for the City of Wilmington, shall at least ten days prior to the first day set for the purpose of registration as aforesaid, give public notice by advertisement, posted in ten or more of the most public places in each election district, in the said City, of the places where the registration officers shall sit for registration of voters as aforesaid and the day or days when they will sit at each of said places.

Section 5. That 1627, Section 9 of Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware as amended be and the same is hereby further amended by repealing all of said 1627, Section 9 marked "First" and all of that paragraph marked "Fourth" of the said 1627, Section 9. and substituting in lieu thereof the following new paragraphs to be designated as "First" and "Fourth" respectively.

First. At every general registration they shall record, in ink in the Registers in the column headed, "Name", the name of every person who shall personally appear before them and apply to be registered and at every supplementary registration they shall record, in ink, in the Registers in the column headed, "Name", the name of every person who shall personally appear before them and apply to be registered and whose name does not already appear as a registered voter in the Register of the next previous general registration, writing first the surname in full, then the Christian name in full and then the initial or initials of the middle name or names. The names of said applicants for registration shall be written on the Books of Registered Voters in the alphabetical order of their surname, that is, all applicants whose surname begins with the letter "A" shall be grouped together, all those whose surname begins with the letter "B" shall be grouped together and so on, as to the first letter of each surname. No name of any other letter group shall be written on any page containing a name or names of any other letter group.

Fourth. It shall be the duty of the Registration Officers of each and every election district in this State, upon the close of each day's registration, to write in the line on the Registers, immediately below the last person registered on said day, the words "end of the day's registration and the date", and immediately under each said entry, the said registration officers shall sign their respective names with the proper designation of their office.

Section 6. That 1632, Section 14 of the Chapter 56 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware as amended be and the same is hereby further amended by adding at the end of the second paragraph the following:

Change of address or residence within the same election district shall not disqualify any person as a voter in such election district.

Approved March 11, 1935.