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Sen. Lachman introduces bill to bar threats and violence at polling places
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Summary
Sen. Lachman told the Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee she is sponsoring a House substitute for HB 301 to prohibit violence, threats, and other intimidation near polling places, Department of Elections offices and Board of Canvass meetings and to clarify Class G felony language; the measure expands protections to voters, poll workers and campaign volunteers and does not raise the statutory penalty.
Senator Lachman told the Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee she was sponsoring House Substitute 1 for House Bill 301 to forbid violence and threats at or near polling places, Department of Elections offices and meetings of the Board of Canvass.
"What the bill does... prohibits the use of any violence or threats of violence at or near a polling place," Senator Lachman said, adding the measure also addresses "any action intended to impede, hinder, or interfere with the peaceful conduct of the election or reading and counting of ballots." She said the bill expands protections to include voters, poll workers and campaign volunteers and updates unclear statutory wording and an outdated fine amount.
The sponsor said the bill "is not about the increase of a penalty" and that the offense remains a Class G felony; the bill clarifies ambiguous language and aligns drafting with the legislative drafting manual. She also said the Department of Justice had been consulted and retains discretion on whether to file charges in particular cases.
Committee members questioned whether there had been arrests in Delaware tied to such incidents and whether the bill would limit ordinary candidate activity at polling places. Lachman told the committee she did not have specific case history available and that the measure targets violence, intimidation and vote‑hindering conduct rather than routine candidate signage or lawful campaign activity. She said she would follow up to clarify jurisdiction and enforcement practice with DOJ.
A member urged the sponsor to ensure definitions are "defensible" in drafting so charges could be reliably prosecuted; Lachman agreed that precise language and jurisdictional details would be checked before finalization.
The committee opened a brief public‑comment period on the bill and then proceeded to later items; no committee vote on HB 301 is recorded in the transcript excerpt.
