Delaware Senate
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Senate is the upper house
of the Delaware General Assembly
, the state legislature of the U.S. 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.
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 house
s 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
.
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.
The President of the Senate is Delaware Lieutenant Governor
Matt Denn. The President Pro Tempore is Anthony J. DeLuca.
The current leadership for the 146th senate is as follows:
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of the Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
, the state legislature of the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. 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
Delaware State Capitol
The Delaware Legislative Hall is the state capitol building of Delaware located in the state capital of Dover on Court Street. It houses the chambers and offices of the Delaware General Assembly.-Old State House:...
in Dover.
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 house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
s of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, commissions, boards, or justices to the Delaware Supreme Court
Delaware Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Delaware is the sole appellate court in the United States' state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, particularly in the area of mergers and...
.
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 DelawareLieutenant Governor of Delaware
The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
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
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President Pro Tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
The President of the Senate is Delaware Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
Matt Denn. The President Pro Tempore is Anthony J. DeLuca.
The current leadership for the 146th senate is as follows:
- Sen. Patricia BlevinsPatricia BlevinsPatricia M. Blevins is an American politician and the current Majority Leader of the Delaware Senate. A Democrat, she has served in the Senate representing the 7th District since 1990.-External links:* official government website* profile...
, Majority Leader - Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, Majority Whip
- Sen. F. Gary Simpson, Minority Leader
- Sen. Liane Sorenson, Minority Whip
Make-up of the Senate
| Affiliation | Party | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Delaware Democratic Party The Delaware Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the US State of Delaware, headquartered in unincorporated New Castle County. John D. Daniello is the state Chair.-Federal executive:... |
Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 15 | 6 | 21 | 0 |
| Begin | 14 | 7 | 21 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 66.7% | 33.3% | ||
Members
| District | Name | Party | First Elected | Residence | Seat up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris McDowell III | Dem | 1976 | North Wilmington Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley... |
2014 |
| 2 | Margaret Henry | Dem | 1994 | East Wilmington | 2012 |
| 3 | Robert Marshall | Dem | 1978 | West Wilmington | 2012 |
| 4 | Michael Katz | Dem | 2008 | Centerville Centerville, Delaware Centreville is an unincorporated town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. Centreville is now known primarily for being the location of Du Pont family estates, as well as several other wealthy business families from nearby Wilmington, and the home of Governor Jack Markell.The village... |
2012 |
| 5 | Catherine Cloutier | Rep | 2000 | Heatherbrooke | 2014 |
| 6 | Liane Sorenson | Rep | 1995 | Hockessin Hockessin, Delaware Hockessin is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 12,902 at the 2000 census. The place name may be derived from the Lenape word "hòkèsa" meaning "pieces of bark" or from a misspelling of "occasion," as pronounced by the Quakers who settled... |
2012 |
| 7 | Patricia Blevins Patricia Blevins Patricia M. Blevins is an American politician and the current Majority Leader of the Delaware Senate. A Democrat, she has served in the Senate representing the 7th District since 1990.-External links:* official government website* profile... |
Dem | 1990 | Elsmere Elsmere, Delaware Elsmere is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 6,131.-Geography:Elsmere is located at .... |
2014 |
| 8 | David Sokola | Dem | 1990 | Newark Newark, Delaware Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :... |
2014 |
| 9 | Karen Peterson | Dem | 2002 | Stanton | 2014 |
| 10 | Bethany Hall-Long | Dem | 2008 | Glasgow Glasgow, Delaware Glasgow is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 12,840 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glasgow is located at .... |
2012 |
| 11 | Anthony J. DeLuca | Dem | 1998 | Varlano | 2012 |
| 12 | Dorinda Connor | Rep | 1997 | Penn Acres | 2014 |
| 13 | David McBride | Dem | 1980 | Hawk's Nest | 2014 |
| 14 | Bruce Ennis | Dem | 2007 | Clayton Clayton, Delaware Clayton is a town in Kent and New Castle counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. Located almost entirely in Kent County, it is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2.918 at the 2010 census.-Geography:... |
2014 |
| 15 | David Lawson | Rep | 2010 | 2014 | |
| 16 | Colin R. J. Bonini | Rep | 1994 | South Dover Dover, Delaware The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware... |
2012 |
| 17 | Brian Bushweller Brian Bushweller Brian J. Bushweller is a Delaware State Senator for the 17th District.Raised in New York, Bushweller received an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Ulster County Community College, a B.A. in Music from Oklahoma City University, an A.M. in Education from Stanford University in 1970, and an M.A... |
Dem | 2008 | North Dover Dover, Delaware The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware... |
2012 |
| 18 | F. Gary Simpson | Rep | 1999 | Milford Milford, Delaware Milford is a city in Kent and Sussex counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,559.... |
2012 |
| 19 | Joseph W. Booth | Rep | 2009 | Georgetown Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade... |
2014 |
| 20 | George Bunting, Jr. | Dem | 1996 | Bethany Beach Bethany Beach, Delaware Bethany Beach is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the town is 1,060; however, during the summer months some 15,000 more populate the town as vacationers... |
2014 |
| 21 | Robert Venables, Sr. | Dem | 1988 | Laurel Laurel, Delaware As of the census of 2000, there were 3,668 people, 1,389 households, and 957 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,215.9 people per square mile . There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of 943.0 per square mile... |
2012 |
See also
- List of Delaware State Senators
- Delaware State CapitolDelaware State CapitolThe Delaware Legislative Hall is the state capitol building of Delaware located in the state capital of Dover on Court Street. It houses the chambers and offices of the Delaware General Assembly.-Old State House:...
- Delaware General AssemblyDelaware General AssemblyThe Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
- Delaware House of RepresentativesDelaware House of RepresentativesThe Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly; the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 41 Representatives from an equal amount of constituencies, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Delaware General Assembly...
External links
- Delaware State Senate official government website
- State Senate of Delaware at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...