EXPLAINER
It’s the last state primary scheduled before November’s midterm elections.
Published On 15 Sep 2026
The last state primary election in the United States before the midterm elections in November is being held this week.
On Tuesday, voters in the US state of Delaware head to the polls.
- When does voting in Delaware start? Polls open at 7am ET (12:00 GMT).
- When does voting in Delaware end? Polls close at 8pm ET (0:00 GMT).
In Delaware, only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic Primary, and only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican Primary since it is a closed primary system. Also, primary elections in the state are only held if there is more than one candidate per party running for an office. Those who run unopposed already advance to the midterm general election on November 3.
Delaware’s Democratic US senator, US representative and state attorney general are all seeking re-election. Voters will also choose nominees for the state legislature and for an open seat for state treasurer.
Although control of the US Senate and House may come down to just a handful of competitive races, the seats in Delaware are expected to remain firmly in the Democratic column.
Delaware has shifted heavily Democratic since the 1990s. Republicans have not won the governorship since 1988, a US Senate seat since 1994 or the US House seat since 2008.
Here’s what to watch in Delaware’s primary elections this year.
Who is running for the US Senate in Delaware?
In the race for US Senate, Democratic US Senator Chris Coons faces three primary opponents in his bid for a third full term. His challengers are University of Delaware history Professor Jeff Appelhans, naval architect Mary Louve, and former business executive Eric Hansen. Hansen was the Republican US Senate nominee in 2024. He is now running as a Democrat and will appear on the ballot under the name “E. No-Trump Hansen”.
Former state Senator Michael Katz and US Army Reserve Colonel John Shulli are competing for the Republican nomination.
Who is running for the US House in Delaware?
Democratic US Representative Sarah McBride, the first out transgender member of the US Congress, is unopposed in her primary as she seeks a second term as Delaware’s sole representative in the US House.
Republicans Joseph Arminio, Earl Cooper and John Whalen are competing to face her in November.
As of September 1, there were about 808,000 registered voters in Delaware, including about 331,000 registered Democrats and about 199,000 registered Republicans.