 | |
Ageneral election was held in theU.S. state ofDelaware on November 5, 2024, concurrently withother nationwide elections, including forPresident of the United States.[1][2] Half of Delaware's executive officers were up for election, including theGovernorship. Additionally, federal elections for the state'sClass 2 seat in theUnited States Senate seat andDelaware's at-large congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives.[3]Primary elections were held on September 10, 2024.[4]
Democrats, who historically dominate the state politically, won all statewide elections and did well in down ballot races.[5] With the exception of statewide races, most candidates ran unopposed, including around half running forDelaware House of Representatives and all but two running for theDelaware Senate.[6] The election had a turnout rate of 65.74% of registered voters casting ballots across 533 precincts.[6]
TheDelaware Democratic Party dominates the politics of Delaware. The party holds a supermajority in both chambers of the State Legislature and holds all statewide seats. The most recent time Republicans won statewide elections in Delaware was in 2014, when the elections forDelaware Auditor of Accounts andDelaware State Treasurer were won byTom Wagner andKen Simpler respectively.[7][8] In 2018, Wagner did not seek reelection while Simpler was defeated by a Democratic challenger.[9][10]
Incumbent PresidentJoe Biden was the only Democrat to qualify for the2024 Democratic Party presidential primary in Delaware. AfterNikki Haley suspended her primary campaign for the Republican presidential nomination,Donald Trump became the presumptive nominee. However, Haley dropped out too late to remove her name from the primary ballot, so theDelaware Legislature voted to cancel thePresidential primaries as a cost saving measure.[11]
Democratic presidential candidate Vice PresidentKamala Harris won Delaware with 56.6 percent of the popular vote, winning all three of the state'selectoral votes. Despite her win in Delaware, Harris lost the presidential election to Trump.[5][12]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kamala Harris | 289,758 | 56.6 | ||
| Republican | Donald Trump | 214,351 | 41.9 | ||
| Independent | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | 4,636 | 0.9 | ||
| Libertarian | Chase Oliver | 2,038 | 0.4 | ||
| Conservative | Vermin Supreme | 914 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 511,697 | 100.00 | |||
| Democraticwin | |||||
In May 2023, incumbent Democratic SenatorTom Carper revealed that he would not be seeking reelection. Carper endorsed RepresentativeLisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware's at-large congressional district to succeed him.[13] Rochester won the election with 56.6 percent of the vote.[3] She became Delaware's first female and first black senator.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lisa Blunt Rochester | 283,298 | 56.6 | |
| Republican | Eric Hansen | 197,753 | 39.5 | |
| Independent Party | Michael Katz | 19,555 | 3.9 | |
| Total votes | 490,935 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Lisa Blunt Rochester, the incumbent Representative forDelaware's at-large congressional district decided not to seek re-election opting to run for United States Senate.[15] State SenatorSarah McBride decided to run to replace her.[16] McBride won the election with 57.9 percent of the vote.[3] With her victory, she became the first openly transgender person elected to theUnited States Congress.[17] After the election, McBride resigned from her State Senate seat.[18]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sarah McBride | 287,830 | 57.9 | |
| Republican | John Whalen | 209,606 | 42.1 | |
| Total votes | 497,436 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Incumbent GovernorJohn Carney was unable to seek a third term due to term limits.[19] DemocraticNew Castle County ExecutiveMatt Meyer ran for the seat against Republican House Minority LeaderMike Ramone.[20][21] Meyer defeated Ramone with 56.1% of the vote.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Matt Meyer | 279,585 | 56.1 | |
| Republican | Mike Ramone | 219,050 | 43.9 | |
| Total votes | 498,635 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Democratic State SenatorKyle Evans Gay and former Republican State RepresentativeRuth Briggs King ran for the open seat left byBethany Hall-Long.[22][23] Gay won the race, receiving around 55 percent of the vote. Following her victory, Gay resigned from her State Senate seat.[18][22]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kyle Evans Gay | 272,828 | 55.22 | |
| Republican | Ruth Briggs King | 221,256 | 44.78 | |
| Total votes | 494,084 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Incumbent DemocraticTrinidad Navarro won a third term asInsurance Commissioner of Delaware against Republican challenger Ralph Taylor.[24] Navarro won with almost 60 percent of the vote.[3][25]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Trinidad Navarro (incumbent) | 286,743 | 59.48 | |
| Republican | Julia M. Pillsbury | 195,305 | 40.52 | |
| Total votes | 482,048 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
The Democratic Party defended its majorities in both theDelaware Senate and theDelaware House of Representatives. All incumbent state senators up for reelection won. The majority of Senate candidates ran unopposed, with only Democrats Russell Huxtable andDarius J. Brown facing challengers. 21 candidates running for the State House of Representatives faced challengers while 20 did not.[3]
All incumbent State Representatives running for reelection won. Democrats expanded their majority, flipping the seat previously held by Republican House Minority LeaderMike Ramone,[3][26] who decided against running for reelection in favor of a gubernatorial bid.[20]
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent New Castle County ExecutiveMatt Meyer opted against a reelection bid to run for Governor instead. Marcus Henry andNew Castle County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle ran for the Democratic nomination for New Castle County Executive.[27] On the day of the primary, Henry defeated Hartley-Nagle by a 21-point margin.[4] Republican Carter Hill filed to run but withdrew his candidacy before the election. Henry won the general election unopposed.[27]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Marcus Henry | 204,846 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 204,846 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratichold | |||||
All three of theKent County Levy Court seats up were won by Democrats; all three of them ran unopposed.[28] Democrats successfully defended their 5-2 majority over Republicans.[29][30][28]
| Kent County Levy Court[29][30][28] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Before | After | Change | |
| Democratic | 5 | 5 |  | |
| Republican | 2 | 2 | | |
| Total | 7 | 7 | ||
All six of theNew Castle County Council seats up were won by Democrats. All candidates, with the exception of John Cartier in district eight, ran unopposed.[28] The Republican party did not flip any seats and Democrats maintained their supermajority.[29][30] Democrat Monique Johns was elected President of the New Castle County Council.[27]
| New Castle County Council[29][30][28] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Before | After | Change | |
| Democratic | 11 | 11 | | |
| Republican | 1 | 1 | | |
| Total | 12 | 12 | ||
Of the threeSussex County Council seats up, two of them were won by Republicans, both of them ran unopposed.[28] Democrat Jane Gruenebaum flipped Council District three, ousting incumbent Mark G. Schaeffer. Gruenebaum's victory made her the sole Democrat on the council, reducing the Republican majority from five seats to four.[29][30]
| Sussex County Council[29][30][28] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Before | After | Change | |
| Democratic | 0 | 1 |  1 | |
| Republican | 5 | 4 |  1 | |
| Total | 5 | 5 | ||
Incumbent Democratic MayorMike Purzycki had considered running for reelection. However, on October 3, 2023, Purzycki revealed that he would not be seeking a third term citing his age and a desire to spend time with his family. IncumbentGovernor of DelawareJohn Carney, who was unable to seek reelection due to term limits, decided to enter the race.[31][32] Due to theDelaware Democratic Party's dominance over both the state and Wilmington, theRepublican State Committee of Delaware did not run a candidate.[33] Since no other candidates ran in the general election, Carney won the election unopposed.[19]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Carney | 24,191 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 24,191 | 100.00% | ||