Delaware Senate

The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Delaware Senate meets at the Legislative Hall in Dover.

Delaware State Senate
Delaware General Assembly
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 9, 2018
Leadership
President of the Senate
Bethany Hall-Long (D)
since January 17, 2017
President pro tempore of the Senate
David McBride (D)
since January 10, 2017
Majority Leader
Nicole Poore (D)
since November 7, 2018
Minority Leader
Gerald Hocker (R)
since November 7, 2018
Structure
Seats21
Political groups
Majority
  •      Democratic (12)

Minority

  •      Republican (9)
Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle III, Section 1, Delaware Constitution
Salary$45,291/year[1]
Elections
Last election
November 6, 2018
(10 seats)
Next election
November 3, 2020
(11 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Delaware Legislative Hall
Dover, Delaware
Website
Delaware State Senate

In order to accommodate the ten-year cycle of reapportionment, the terms of office of the several Senators are staggered so that ten Senators are elected to terms of two years at the first biennial general election following reapportionment, followed by two four-year terms, and eleven Senators are elected at the said election for two four-year terms, followed by a two-year term.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, boards, or justices to the Delaware Supreme Court.

Qualifications

Senators must be citizens of the United States, have lived in Delaware for three years, and have been a resident of their respective district for at least one year preceding their election. They must also be at least 27 years old at the time of their election.

Senate Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.

PositionNamePartyDistrict
President of the Senate/Lieutenant GovernorBethany Hall-LongDemocratic
President Pro TemDavid McBrideDemocratic13
Majority LeaderNicole PooreDemocratic12
Majority WhipBryan TownsendDemocratic11
Minority LeaderGerald HockerRepublican20
Minority WhipCatherine CloutierRepublican5

Composition
12 9
Democratic Republican
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
November 7, 2018[2] 12 9 21 0
Latest voting share 57.1% 42.9%

Members

Below are the Senators as of the 150th General Assembly (2018–2020), following the most recent election.

District Name Party First Elected Residence Seat up
1 Harris McDowell III Dem 1976 North Wilmington 2020
2 Darius J. Brown Dem 2018 2022
3 Elizabeth Lockman Dem 2018 2022
4 Laura Sturgeon Dem 2018 2022
5 Catherine Cloutier Rep 2000 Heatherbrooke 2020
6 Ernesto Lopez Rep 2012 Lewes 2022
7 Anthony Delcollo Rep 2016 2020
8 David Sokola Dem 1990 Newark 2020
9 Jack Walsh Dem 2016 2020
10 Stephanie Hansen Dem 2017 Middletown 2022
11 Bryan Townsend Dem 2012 Westover Woods 2022
12 Nicole Poore Dem 2012 Barbs Farm 2020
13 David McBride Dem 1980 Hawk's Nest 2020
14 Bruce Ennis Dem 2007 Clayton 2020
15 David G. Lawson Rep 2010 Marydel 2020
16 Colin Bonini Rep 1994 South Dover 2022
17 W. Charles Paradee Dem 2018 Dover 2022
18 David L. Wilson Rep 2018 2022
19 Brian G. Pettyjohn Rep 2012 Georgetown 2020
20 Gerald Hocker Rep 2012 Ocean View 2020
21 Bryant Richardson Rep 2014 Laurel 2022

Past composition of the Senate

See also
  • List of Delaware State Senators (1776–1831)
  • Delaware House of Representatives

References
  1. https://budget.delaware.gov/budget/fy2018/documents/hb275-hs1.pdf
  2. Delaware legislators' terms begin the second Wednesday in November (i.e. the day after Election Day), even though they are not sworn in until January. Constitution of Delaware, Article II, Section 3
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