Delaware Senate

Upper house of the Delaware General Assembly

Delaware State Senate

Delaware General Assembly
Type
Type|

Upper house

Term limits

| None
History

New session started

| January 10, 2023
Leadership

President

Vacant
since January 7, 2025

President pro tempore

David Sokola (D)
since November 4, 2020

Majority Leader

Bryan Townsend (D)
since November 4, 2020

Minority Leader

Gerald Hocker (R)
since November 7, 2018

Structure
Seats| 21

Political groups

| Majority

* Democratic (15)

Minority

* Republican (6)

Length of term

| 4 years
Authority| Article III, Section 1, Delaware Constitution
Salary| $48,237/year.[1]
Elections

Last election

| November 5, 2024
(10 seats)

Next election

| November 3, 2026
(11 seats)
Redistricting| Legislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Delaware Legislative Hall
Dover, Delaware
Website
Delaware State Senate

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 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.

Position | Name | Party | District

|
|
|

President of the Senate/Lieutenant Governor | Vacant |  | N/A
President Pro Tem | David Sokola | Democratic | 8
Majority Leader | Bryan Townsend | Democratic | 11
Majority Whip | Elizabeth Lockman | Democratic | 3
Minority Leader | Gerald Hocker | Republican | 20
Minority Whip | Brian G. Pettyjohn | Republican | 19

## Composition

[edit]

15 | 6

|

Democratic | Republican
Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Democratic | Republican | Vacant
November 7, 2018[2] | 14  | 7  | 21  | 0
November 7, 2022  | 15  | 6  | 21  | 0
Latest voting share  | 71%  | 29%  |

### Members

[edit]

Below are the Senators as of the 152nd General Assembly (2022–2024), following the most recent election.

District  | Name  | Party  | First elected  | Residence  | Seat up

|
|
|
|
|

1st | Sarah McBride | Dem  | 2020  | North Wilmington | 2026
2nd | Darius J. Brown | Dem  | 2018  | Wilmington | 2024
3rd | Elizabeth Lockman | Dem  | 2018  | Wilmington | 2024
4th | Laura Sturgeon | Dem  | 2018  | Brandywine Hundred | 2024
5th | Kyle Gay | Dem  | 2020  | Heatherbrooke  | 2026
6th | Russ Huxtable | Dem  | 2022  | Lewes | 2024
7th | Spiros Mantzavinos | Dem  | 2020  | Westgate Farms  | 2026
8th | David Sokola | Dem  | 1990  | Newark | 2026
9th | Jack Walsh | Dem  | 2016  | Newport | 2026
10th | Stephanie Hansen | Dem  | 2017  | Middletown | 2024
11th | Bryan Townsend | Dem  | 2012  | Westover Woods  | 2024
12th | Nicole Poore | Dem  | 2012  | Barbs Farm  | 2026
13th | Marie Pinkney | Dem  | 2020  | New Castle County | 2026
14th | Kyra Hoffner | Dem  | 2022  | Leipsic | 2026
15th | David G. Lawson | Rep  | 2010  | Marydel | 2026
16th | Eric Buckson | Rep  | 2022  | Camden | 2024
17th | W. Charles Paradee | Dem  | 2018  | Dover | 2024
18th | David L. Wilson | Rep  | 2018  | Lincoln | 2024
19th | Brian G. Pettyjohn | Rep  | 2012  | Georgetown | 2026
20th | Gerald Hocker | Rep  | 2012  | Ocean View | 2026
21st | Bryant Richardson | Rep  | 2014  | Laurel | 2024

## Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

Main article: Political party strength in Delaware

## See also

[edit]

* List of Delaware state senators (1776–1831)
* Delaware House of Representatives

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2022 Legislator Compensation". ncsl.org. National Conference of State Legislatures.
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

## External links

[edit]

* Delaware General Assembly - Senators
* Delaware Senate at Ballotpedia

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Delaware Senate

153rd General Assembly (2025–2027)

President of the Senate
Vacant
President pro tempore
David Sokola (D)
Majority Leader
Bryan Townsend (D)
Minority Leader
Gerald Hocker (R)

1. ▌Vacant
2. ▌Darius J. Brown (D)
3. ▌Elizabeth Lockman (D)
4. ▌Laura Sturgeon (D)
5. ▌Kyle Evans Gay (D)
6. ▌Russ Huxtable (D)
7. ▌Spiros Mantzavinos (D)
8. ▌David Sokola (D)
9. ▌Jack Walsh (D)
10. ▌Stephanie Hansen (D)
11. ▌Bryan Townsend (D)
12. ▌Nicole Poore (D)
13. ▌Marie Pinkney (D)
14. ▌Kyra Hoffner (D)
15. ▌David G. Lawson (R)
16. ▌Eric Buckson (R)
17. ▌W. Charles Paradee (D)
18. ▌David L. Wilson (R)
19. ▌Brian G. Pettyjohn (R)
20. ▌Gerald Hocker (R)
21. ▌Bryant Richardson (R)

* ▌Democratic (14)
* ▌Republican (6)

* Delaware General Assembly
* Delaware House of Representatives
* Delaware Senate

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