AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Delaware on Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Delaware voters will elect leaders for federal, state and other offices on Tuesday. Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general, state Senate, state House, state auditor and state treasurer.

How many people voted in the last midterm election?

About 497,000 votes were cast in the 2022 race for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 24% of votes in Delaware’s 2022 U.S. House race were cast early or by absentee ballot. The latest advance vote totals for Delaware can be found in the AP’s advance vote tracker.

When are early and absentee votes released?

All three Delaware counties are expected to release all of their results from early in-person and mail voting in their first vote updates of the night, before releasing any results from in-person Election Day voting.

How long does vote counting usually take?

The first results of the 2024 general election were reported starting at 8:29 p.m. ET, 29 minutes after polls closed. The state reached 50% of votes reporting at 8:59 p.m. ET, and 90% of votes reporting at 9:57 p.m. ET.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

A candidate for statewide office in a general election can apply for a recount if the margin between a candidate and the closest opposing candidate is fewer than 1,000 votes or less than 0.5% of the sum of the two candidates’ votes, whichever is less. An automatic recount is triggered if those same requirements are met in elections for state senator, state representative or county office. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.