- Delaware House of Representatives
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Delaware House of Representatives Delaware General Assembly 
Type Type Lower house Term limits None New session started January 11, 2011 Leadership Speaker of the House Robert F. Gilligan, (D)
since January 13, 2009Majority Leader Peter Schwartzkopf, (D)
since January 13, 2009Minority Leader Gregory Lavelle, (R)
since January 11, 2011Structure Members 41 Political groups Democratic Party (26)
Republican Party (15)Length of term 2 years Authority Article III, Section 1, Delaware Constitution Salary $41,680/year + per diem Elections Last election November 2, 2010
(41 seats)Next election November 6, 2012
(41 seats)Redistricting Legislative Control Meeting place House of Representatives Chamber
Delaware Legislative Hall
Dover, DelawareWebsite Delaware House of Representatives The 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 does not have term limits. The House meets at the Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover.
Contents
The naming of the House
From 1776 to 1792, the chamber was known as the House of Assembly, a common name for lower houses of colonial legislatures and states under the loose Confederation. The name was changed by the state's 1792 Constitution, reflecting the new federal House of Representatives, which Delaware was the first state to approve of in ratifying the federal U.S. Constitution in 1787. The renaming began a trend that has resulted in a majority of the lower houses of U.S. state legislatures sharing the same name of the U.S. House.
Leadership of the House
The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. The Speaker is the chief leadership position of the body. The other House leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses. The Majority Leader determines which bills are brought to the floor for debate (from an Agenda prepared by the Speaker of the House) and manages debates and floor votes.
The current Speaker of the House is Robert Gilligan of District 19 (Sherwood Park). Prior to Gilligan's election, the prior Speaker of the House, Terry Spence, was the longest serving speaker in the History of the Delaware General Assembly.
Qualifications
Members of the House of Representatives must be citizens of the United States, have lived in Delaware for three years, been a resident of their constituent district for at least one year preceding their election and must be at least 24 years old by the time of their election.
Current composition
The strong Democratic turnout in 2008, aided by homestate Senator Joe Biden, cost Republicans the majority in the State House. As of 2009, Democrats control all three branches of state government.
Affiliation Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)Total Democratic Republican Vacant End of previous legislature 24 17 41 0 Begin 26 15 41 0 Latest voting share 63.4% 36.6% Current members, 2011-2012
District Name Party First Elected Residence 1 Dennis Williams Dem 1996 Wilmington North 2 Stephanie Bolden Dem 2010 3 Helene Keeley Dem 1996 Wilmington South 4 Gerald Brady Dem 2006 Wilmington West 5 Melanie George Dem 2002 Bear/Newark 6 Debra Heffernan Dem 2010 7 Bryon Short Dem 2007 8 S. Quinton Johnson Dem 2008 Middletown 9 Rebecca Walker Dem 2010 10 Dennis Williams Dem 2008 Talleyville 11 Gregory Lavelle Rep 2000 Sharpley 12 Deborah Hudson Rep 2000 Fairthorne 13 John Mitchell Jr. Dem 2006 Elsmere 14 Peter Schwartzkopf Dem 2002 Rehoboth 15 Valerie Longhurst Dem 2004 Bear 16 James Johnson Dem 2002 Jefferson Farms 17 Michael Mulrooney Dem 1998 Pennwood 18 Michael Barbieri Dem 2008 Newark 19 Robert Gilligan Dem 1972 Sherwood Park 20 Nick T. Manolakos Rep 2006 Limestone Hills 21 Michael Ramone Rep 2008 Drummond Hill 22 Joseph Miro Rep 1998 Pike Creek Valley 23 Teresa Schooley Dem 2004 Newark 24 Edward Osienski Dem 2010 25 John Kowalko, Jr. Dem 2006 Newark South 26 John Viola Dem 1998 Newark 27 Earl Jaques, Jr. Dem 2008 Glasgow 28 William Carson, Jr. Dem 2008 Smyrna 29 Lincoln Willis Rep 2010 30 William Outten Rep 2004 Harrington 31 Darryl Scott Dem 2008 Dover 32 E. Bradford Bennett Dem 2008 Dover 33 Harold Peterman Rep 2010 34 Donald Blakey Rep 2006 35 David Wilson Rep 2008 Bridgeville 36 Harvey Kenton Rep 2010 37 Ruth Briggs King Rep 2009 Georgetown/Lewes 38 Gerald Hocker Rep 2002 Ocean View 39 Daniel Short Rep 2006 Seaford 40 Clifford "Biff" Lee Rep 2000 Laurel 41 John Atkins Dem 2008
(2003-2006)Millsboro See also
External links
References
- Dennis P. Williams (D)
- Stephanie Bolden (D)
- Helene Keeley (D)
- Gerald Brady (D)
- Melanie George (D)
- Debra Heffernan (D)
- Bryon Short (D)
- S. Quinton Johnson (D)
- Rebecca Walker (D)
- Dennis E. Williams (D)
- Gregory Lavelle (R)
- Deborah Hudson (R)
- John Mitchell, Jr. (D)
- Peter Schwartzkopf (D)
- Valerie Longhurst (D)
- James Johnson (D)
- Michael Mulrooney (D)
- Michael Barbieri (D)
- Robert F. Gilligan (D)
- Nick Manolakos (R)
- Michael Ramone (R)
- Joseph Miró (R)
- Teresa Schooley (D)
- Edward S. Osienski (D)
- John Kowalko, Jr. (D)
- John Viola (D)
- Earl Jaques, Jr. (D)
- William Carson, Jr. (D)
- Lincoln D. Willis (R)
- William Outten (R)
- Darryl Scott (D)
- E. Bradford Bennett (D)
- Harold J. Peterman (R)
- Donald Blakey (R)
- David Wilson (R)
- Harvey Kenton (R)
- Ruth Briggs King (R)
- Gerald Hocker (R)
- Daniel Short (R)
- Clifford Lee (R)
- John Atkins (D)
Democratic (26) • Republican (15) • Delaware General Assembly • Delaware House of Representatives • Delaware State Senate Government of Delaware U.S. Senators • U.S. Representatives (Delegations) • Governors • Lt. Governors • Attorneys General • State Senators • State Representatives • Judges • MayorsCategories:- Delaware General Assembly
- State lower houses in the United States
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