A new bipartisan bill seeks to add primaries to the special election process for filling vacancies in the state’s General Assembly.
The bill would allow special election primaries so voters can choose their party’s special election candidate, rather than local party leaders deciding.
The bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Mara Gorman (HD-23), said this is more democratic than what’s in place. Right now, when a lawmaker vacates their seat, county party committees choose candidates who go on the ballot for a general election.
"It's a self-selected group of people who are involved at the party level," Gorman said.
This happened three times last year, with open seats in Senate Districts 1 and 5 as well as House District 20. And Gorman said the door to getting on the ballot should be open to anyone.
"What we've seen in recent elections is there are multiple people who are interested in running," she said. "So we really haven't been seeing an issue where we don't get people to run. We've been seeing an issue where it's not a broad group of people who gets to choose them."
The bill she's put forward is bipartisan, sponsored by Republican Eric Buckson (SD-16) in the State Senate.
Gorman originally introduced a bill to add special primaries in May. She’s reintroduced now as lawmakers prepare to return to work in January. It will start in the House Elections & Government Affairs committee.
Delaware has closed primaries. So if the law is adopted, only people registered with a party in the Senate or House district where the election is being held can vote to determine who goes on the general election ballot.
An announcement for primary and general special election dates should be issued within five days of an office becoming vacant. And Gorman’s bill says the special primary should happen 35 to 40 days after that. The special general election would be held 35 to 50 days after a party’s candidates are chosen in the primary.
