Primaries & National, State & Town Elections

While local elections have been historically non-partisan, every fourth year voters may cast their ballots for members of the Democratic or Republican Town Committees, which promote the interests of these two parties in state and national elections.

Primary Process

Since primary elections are a method of selecting political party candidates to run for office at forthcoming state or national elections, a voter going to the polls at a primary must request the ballot of his/her party if he/she indicated a party choice at the time of voter registration, i.e, registered Republicans must take only a Republican ballot and registered Democrats must take a Democratic ballot. Unenrolled voters may request either a Republican or Democratic ballot.

In national, state and town elections, any registered voter is eligible to go to the designated polling place, receive a ballot, mark it in the privacy of an enclosed booth, and deposit it in the locked box which automatically tabulates the number of ballots cast. A line is drawn through the name of each voter on the Registrar’s List of Voters as he or she enters the polling place and before he or she leaves the polling place. At present, the Town House is the sole designated polling place in Dover.

Sample Ballot

A sample ballot and a copy of questions to be submitted to voters are posted outside the polling place. 

Political Interaction

No one may legally approach a voter on political matters within 150 feet of the entrance to the polling place.