Title: Albence v. Higgin, et al.
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 342, 2022
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: October 7, 2022

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
THE HONORABLE ANTHONY J. 
§ 
ALBENCE, in his official capacity as 
§  
State Election Commissioner, and 
§ 
STATE OF DELAWARE 
§ 
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS, 
§ 
 
 
§ 
 
Defendants Below,  
§  
 
Appellant/Cross-Appellees, 
§ No. 342, 2022 
 
§  
 
v. 
§ Court Below:  Court of Chancery 
 
§ of the State of Delaware 
MICHAEL HIGGIN and MICHAEL 
§   
MENNELLA, 
§ C.A. Nos. 
2022-0641 
 
§  
 
2022-0644 
Plaintiffs Below, 
§ 
Appellee/Cross/Appellants. 
§ 
____________________________ 
 
DELAWARE DEPARTMENT 
§ 
OF ELECTIONS and ANTHONY J. 
§ 
ALBENCE, State Election  
§ 
Commissioner,  
§ 
 
 
§ 
 
Defendants Below, 
§  
 
Appellant/Cross-Appellee, 
§  
 
§  
 
v. 
§  
 
§  
AYONNE “NICK” MILES, PAUL J. 
§  
FALKOWSKI, and NANCY M SMITH, 
§ 
 
§  
Plaintiffs Below, 
§ 
Appellee, Cross-Appellants. 
§ 
 
 
Submitted: October 6, 2022 
Decided: 
October 7, 2022 
 
2 
 
Before SEITZ, Chief Justice; VALIHURA, VAUGHN, TRAYNOR, Justices, and 
JURDEN, President Judge,1 constituting the Court en banc. 
 
Upon appeal from the Court of Chancery.  AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in 
part. 
 
PER CURIAM: 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 7th day of October, 2022, the Court has considered on an expedited basis 
the parties’ briefs, the record on appeal, and the argument of counsel, and it appears 
that: 
1. The Vote-by-Mail Statute2 impermissibly expands the categories of absentee 
voters identified in Article V, Section 4A of the Delaware Constitution.  
Therefore, the judgment of the Court of Chancery that the Vote-by-Mail 
Statute violates the Delaware Constitution should be affirmed. 
2. The Same-Day Registration Statute3 conflicts with the provisions of Article V, 
Section 4 of the Delaware Constitution.  Consequently, the judgment of the 
Court of Chancery that the Same-Day Registration Statute does not violate the 
Delaware Constitution should be reversed. 
 
1 Sitting by designation under Del. Const. art. IV, § 12 and Supreme Court Rules 2(a) and 4(a) to 
complete the quorum. 
2 15 Del. C., ch. 56A. 
3 15 Del. C. § 2036. 
3 
 
3. The Court enters this abbreviated order in recognition of the impending 
election scheduled for November 8, 2022, and the Department of Election’s 
desire to mail ballots to voters by or around October 10, 2022.  A more formal 
opinion, fully explaining the Court’s views and the reasons supporting our 
unanimous decision, will issue in due course.  The mandate shall issue 
immediately.   
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the judgment of the Court of 
Chancery as reflected in its September 14, 2022 Memorandum Opinion and 
September 15, 2022 Implementing Order be AFFIRMED in part and REVERSED 
in part.