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Delaware, State Senate, District 18

Delaware State Senate District 18
Current incumbentDavid Wilson Republican Party

Delaware’s eighteenth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator David Wilson.

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.

2016 pivot county

206 Pivot Counties Logo.png

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

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.

2018

General election
General election for Delaware State Senate District 18

David Wilson (R) defeated James Purcell (D) in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 18 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

David Wilson (R)
65.2
10,816

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

James Purcell (D)
34.8
5,783

Total votes: 16,599
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 18

James Purcell advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 18 on September 6, 2018.

Candidate

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

James Purcell (D)

Republican primary election
Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 18

David Wilson advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 18 on September 6, 2018.

Candidate

David Wilson (R)

2014

Elections for the Delaware State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 8, 2014. Patrick J. Emory defeated Gary M. Wolfe in the Democratic primary, while incumbent F. Gary Simpson was unopposed in the Republican primary. Simpson defeated Emory in the general election.

Delaware State Senate, District 18, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngF. Gary Simpson Incumbent 66.7% 7,853
Democratic Patrick J. Emory 33.3% 3,917
Total Votes 11,770

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. Incumbent Gary Simpson defeated Matthew A. Opaliski in the Republican primary, before before winning the general election without opposition. Simpson was initially challenged by Gary Downes in the general election but his opponent withdrew a day after the primary election.

Delaware State Senate, District 18 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngGary Simpson Incumbent 68% 1,515
Matthew A. Opaliski 32% 712
Total Votes 2,227

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Delaware State Senate District 18 raised a total of $442,072. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $40,188 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Delaware State Senate District 18

Year Amount Candidates Average
2014 $117,141 3 $39,047
2012 $36,193 2 $18,097
2008 $68,300 2 $34,150
2004 $124,559 2 $62,280
2002 $95,879 2 $47,940
Total $442,072 11 $40,188