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Delaware, State Senate, District 1

Delaware State Senate District 1
Current incumbentHarris McDowell Democratic Party

Delaware’s first state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Harris McDowell.

Delaware state senators represent an average of 42,759 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 37,314 residents.

About the office

Members of the Delaware State Senate serve both two- and four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Delaware legislators assume office the day after their election.

Qualifications

Article II, Section 3 of the Delaware Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-seven years and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his election and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Senatorial District in which he shall be chosen, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$45,291/yearNo per diem is paid.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Senate President must call for a special election. The election must be called for no later than 30 days after the vacancy happened. The Governor may make the declaration if the Senate is not in session. The date of the election must be set no later than 10 days after a declaration was made.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Delaware State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for September 15, 2020. The filing deadline is July 14, 2020.

2016

Elections for the Delaware State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was July 12, 2016.

Incumbent Harris McDowell defeated James Spadola in the Delaware State Senate District 1 general election.

Delaware State Senate, District 1 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Harris McDowell Incumbent 56.32% 11,858
Republican James Spadola 43.68% 9,195
Total Votes 21,053
Source: Delaware Department of Elections

Incumbent Harris McDowell defeated Joseph McCole in the Delaware State Senate District 1 Democratic primary.

Delaware State Senate, District 1 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Harris McDowell Incumbent 70.83% 3,876
Democratic Joseph McCole 29.17% 1,596
Total Votes 5,472

James Spadola ran unopposed in the Delaware State Senate District 1 Republican primary.

Delaware State Senate, District 1 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png James Spadola (unopposed)

2012

Elections for the office of Delaware State Senate consisted of a primary election on February 11, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 6, 2012. A total of 21 seats were up for election in 2012. Incumbent Harris McDowell defeated James Martin and David Brady in the February 7 primary elections, before defeating Bryan Lintz (L) and Robert Clark (I) in the general election.

Delaware State Senate, District 1, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngHarris McDowell Incumbent 85.3% 15,155
Independent Robert Clark 11.6% 2,054
Libertarian Bryan Lintz 3.1% 555
Total Votes 17,764

Delaware State Senate, District 1 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngHarris McDowell Incumbent 52.2% 2,342
David D. Brady 36% 1,613
James Martin 11.8% 528
Total Votes 4,483

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Delaware State Senate District 1 raised a total of $550,740. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $27,537 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Delaware State Senate District 1

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $153,990 3 $51,330
2012 $67,430 5 $13,486
2010 $13,619 1 $13,619
2006 $177,406 6 $29,568
2002 $69,324 3 $23,108
2000 $68,971 2 $34,486
Total $550,740 20 $27,537