The Delaware State 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 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 the absence of the lieutenant governor, 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 Kyle Evans Gay Democratic 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
15 6 Democratic Republican
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantDemocraticRepublican2019–202012 9 21 02021-202214 7 21 02023–202415 6 21 0Begin 2025Democrats Sarah McBride (District 1) and Kyle Evans Gay (District 6) resigned after being elected to Congress and the office of Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, respectively.136 19 2February 15, 2025Democrats Dan Cruce and Raymond Siegfried elected to succeed McBride and Gay, respectively.15 21 0Latest voting share
Members Below are the Senators as of the 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026), following the most recent election.
DistrictNamePartyStartResidenceNext Election1stDem2025Wilmington20262ndDem2018Wilmington20283rdDem2018Wilmington20284thDem2018Brandywine Hundred20285thDem2025Arden20266thDem2022Lewes20287thDem2020Westgate Farms20268thDem1990Newark20269thDem2016Newport202610thDem2017Middletown202811thDem2012Westover Woods202812thDem2012Barbs Farm202613thDem2020New Castle County202614thDem2022Leipsic202615thRep2010Marydel202616thRep2022Camden202817thDem2018Dover202818thRep2018Lincoln202819thRep2012Georgetown202620thRep2012Ocean View202621stRep2014Laurel2028
Past composition of the Senate
See also List of Delaware state senators (1776–1831) Delaware House of Representatives
References
External links Delaware General Assembly - Senators