Delaware Senate

Delaware Senate
Delaware State Senate
Delaware General Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type Upper house
Term limits None
New session started January 11, 2011
Leadership
President of the Senate Matthew P. Denn, (D)
since January 20, 2009
President pro Tempore Anthony J. DeLuca, (D)
since July 4, 2010
Majority Leader Patricia Blevins, (D)
since July 4, 2010
Minority Leader F. Gary Simpson, (R)
since January 8, 2008
Structure
Members 21
Political groups Democratic Party (14)
Republican Party (7)
Length of term 4 years
Authority Article III, Section 1, Delaware Constitution
Salary $41,680/year + per diem
Elections
Last election November 2, 2010
(11 seats)
Next election November 6, 2012
(10 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.

Contents

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.

The President of the Senate is Delaware Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn. The President Pro Tempore is Anthony J. DeLuca.[1]

The current leadership for the 146th senate is as follows:

  • Sen. Patricia Blevins, 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
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic 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 2014
2 Margaret Henry Dem 1994 East Wilmington 2012
3 Robert Marshall Dem 1978 West Wilmington 2012
4 Michael Katz Dem 2008 Centerville 2012
5 Catherine Cloutier Rep 2000 Heatherbrooke 2014
6 Liane Sorenson Rep 1995 Hockessin 2012
7 Patricia Blevins Dem 1990 Elsmere 2014
8 David Sokola Dem 1990 Newark 2014
9 Karen Peterson Dem 2002 Stanton 2014
10 Bethany Hall-Long Dem 2008 Glasgow 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 2014
15 David Lawson Rep 2010 2014
16 Colin R. J. Bonini Rep 1994 South Dover 2012
17 Brian Bushweller Dem 2008 North Dover 2012
18 F. Gary Simpson Rep 1999 Milford 2012
19 Joseph W. Booth Rep 2009 Georgetown 2014
20 George Bunting, Jr. Dem 1996 Bethany Beach 2014
21 Robert Venables, Sr. Dem 1988 Laurel 2012

See also

References

External links

References


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