Senate advances constitutional amendment proposal on voting in first legislative step

Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill 3, an amendment to Article V of the Delaware Constitution addressing voting procedures, passed a Senate vote on April 14, advancing the measure to the next legislative step for constitutional changes.

Sen. Brown described the substitute as a return to a bipartisan approach to expand voting access and said it reflected changes that secured support in both chambers. "Senate substitute number 1 for senate bill 3 is the first leg of a constitutional amendment," Brown said, adding the substitute is a friendly amendment to legislation considered earlier.

The clerk called the roll; the substitute passed by a vote of 14 yes, 5 no and 2 absent. Because the measure amends the State Constitution, it requires subsequent legislative steps in future sessions as part of the constitutional‑amendment process.

What happens next: The amendment proceeds through the legislature’s required constitutional amendment sequence; additional readings and votes (and possible changes) will be required before any change reaches voters or becomes effective under Delaware’s constitutional rules.