List of Delaware General Assembly sessions

This is a list of the sessions of the Delaware General Assembly showing majority parties and leadership for each body and each session. Also included are the corresponding Governors and Lieutenant Governors where applicable. Delaware was one of the 13 colonies of Great Britain that joined the American War of Independence. The General Assembly was formed at that time and has met since then under four state constitutions as indicated.

Constitution of 1776

edit

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1776 the General Assembly consisted of The Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. There were nine members of the Council, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the Assembly, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first day of October, and terms began on the 20th day of October, lasting three years for the Council and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held several times every year.

Delaware General Assembly 1776–1792
Year Assembly President Council majority Speaker House majority Speaker
1776/77 1st John McKinly
Thomas McKean
No parties George Read No parties John McKinly
1777/78 2nd George Read
Caesar Rodney
George Read Samuel West
1778/79 3rd Caesar Rodney Thomas Collins Samuel West
1779/80 4th Caesar Rodney John Clowes Simon Kollock
1780/81 5th Caesar Rodney Thomas Collins Benjamin Caton
1781/82 6th Caesar Rodney
John Dickinson
Thomas Collins Simon Kollock
1782/83 7th John Cook
Nicholas Van Dyke
John Cook Nicholas Van Dyke
1783/84 8th Nicholas Van Dyke Caesar Rodney Robert Bryan
1784/85 9th Nicholas Van Dyke Thomas McDonough Thomas Duff
1785/86 10th Nicholas Van Dyke Thomas McDonough Thomas Duff
1786/87 11th Thomas Collins George Craighead John Cook
1787/88 12th Thomas Collins Thomas McDonough Thomas Rodney
1788/89 13th Thomas Collins
Jehu Davis
Joshua Clayton
George Mitchell Jehu Davis
1789/90 14th Joshua Clayton George Mitchell Jehu Davis
1790/91 15th Joshua Clayton George Mitchell Henry Latimer
1791/92 16th Joshua Clayton George Mitchell Allan McLane

Constitution of 1792

edit

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1792 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday of October and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting three years for the Senate and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held once every year.

Delaware General Assembly 1793–1832
Year Assembly Governor Senate majority Speaker House majority Speaker
1793 17th Joshua Clayton Federalist Daniel Rogers Federalist George Wilson
Stephen Lewis
1794 18th Joshua Clayton Daniel Rogers Stephen Lewis
1795 19th Joshua Clayton Daniel Rogers Peter Lowber
1796 20th Gunning Bedford Sr. Daniel Rogers Stephen Lewis
1797 21st Gunning Bedford Sr.
Daniel Rogers
Daniel Rogers Stephen Lewis
1798 22nd Daniel Rogers Isaac Davis Stephen Lewis
1799 23rd Richard Bassett Isaac Davis Stephen Lewis
1800 24th Richard Bassett James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1801 25th Richard Bassett
James Sykes
James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1802 26th David Hall Daniel Rogers Stephen Lewis
1803 27th David Hall James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1804 28th David Hall James Sykes Jesse Green
1805 29th Nathaniel Mitchell James Sykes Thomas Laws
1806 30th Nathaniel Mitchell James Sykes Jesse Green
1807 31st Nathaniel Mitchell James Sykes William Warner
1808 32nd George Truitt James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1809 33rd George Truitt James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1810 34th George Truitt James Sykes Stephen Lewis
1811 35th Joseph Haslet James Sykes Cornelius P. Comegys
1812 36th Joseph Haslet James Sykes Cornelius P. Comegys
1813 37th Joseph Haslet Andrew Barratt Cornelius P. Comegys
1814 38th Daniel Rodney Andrew Barratt Cornelius P. Comegys
1815 39th Daniel Rodney Jesse Green Cornelius P. Comegys
1816 40th Daniel Rodney Jesse Green Nathan Vickers
1817 41st John Clark Henry Molleston Nathan Vickers
1818 42nd John Clark Henry Molleston Nathan Vickers
1819 43rd John Clark Henry Molleston Nathan Vickers
1820 44th Jacob Stout Jacob Stout Nathan Vickers
1821 45th John Collins Caleb Rodney John Cummins
1822 46th John Collins
Caleb Rodney
Caleb Rodney Alrichs Ryland
1823 47th Joseph Haslet
Charles Thomas
Democratic-Republican Charles Thomas Democratic-Republican George Clark Jr.
1824 48th Samuel Paynter Federalist Jesse Green Federalist Joshua Burton
1825 49th Samuel Paynter Jesse Green Joshua Burton
1826 50th Samuel Paynter Charles Polk Jr. Arnold Naudain
1827 51st Charles Polk Jr. Henry Whiteley Archibald Hamilton
1828 52nd Charles Polk Jr. Presley Spruance William W. Morris
1829 53rd Charles Polk Jr. Presley Spruance William W. Morris
John Raymond
1830 54th David Hazzard National Republican Presley Spruance National Republican Joshua Burton
1831 55th David Hazzard Presley Spruance Joshua Burton
1832 56th David Hazzard James P. Lofland Thomas Davis

Constitution of 1831

edit

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1831 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every two years, in the odd numbered year.

Delaware General Assembly 1832–1898
Year Assembly Governor Senate majority Speaker House majority Speaker
1833–1835 57th Caleb Bennett Whig Joshua Burton Whig John Raymond
1835–1837 58th Caleb Bennett
Charles Polk Jr.
Charles Polk Jr. William D. Waples
1837–1839 59th Cornelius P. Comegys Presley Spruance William D. Waples
1839–1841 60th Cornelius P. Comegys Democratic Thomas Jacobs Democratic John P. Brinckloe
1841–1843 61st William B. Cooper Whig Charles Polk Jr. Whig Robert Houston
1843–1845 62nd William B. Cooper Presley Spruance William O. Redden
1845–1847 63rd Thomas Stockton
Joseph Maull
William Temple
Joseph Maull William Temple
William O. Redden
1847–1849 64th William Tharp William W. Morris Lewis Thompson
1849–1851 65th William Tharp William W. Morris Daniel Cummins
1851–1853 66th William H. H. Ross Democratic John M. Phillips Democratic Samuel Jefferson
1853–1855 67th William H. H. Ross John M. Phillips John R. McFee
1855–1857 68th Peter F. Causey Know-nothing Daniel Curry Know-nothing Samuel Biddle
1857–1859 69th Peter F. Causey Democratic Abraham Boyce Democratic George W. Cummins
1859–1861 70th William Burton Manlove Carlisle John W. F. Jackson
1861–1863 71st William Burton John Green Republican John F. Williamson
1863–1865 72nd William Cannon John R. Tatum Democratic John Sorden
1865–1867 73rd William Cannon
Gove Saulsbury
Gove Saulsbury
William Hitch
Shephard P. Houston
1867–1869 74th Gove Saulsbury James Ponder William A. Polk
1869–1871 75th Gove Saulsbury James W. Minors John Hickman
1871–1873 76th James Ponder Charles Gooding Sewell C. Biggs
1873–1875 77th James Ponder Allen V. Leslie Joseph Burchenal
1875–1877 78th John P. Cochran Charles C. Stockley Thomas Holcomb
1877–1879 79th John P. Cochran John T. Moore Hugh Martin
1879–1881 80th John W. Hall Charles J. Harrington Swithin Chandler
1881–1883 81st John W. Hall Cateby F. Rust Reynear Williams
1883–1885 82nd Charles C. Stockley Samuel B. Cooper George H. Bates
1885–1887 83rd Charles C. Stockley Alexander B. Cooper William A. Comegys
1887–1889 84th Benjamin T. Biggs John E. Collins William R. McCabe
1889–1891 85th Benjamin T. Biggs Beniah L. Lewis Republican John H. Hoffecker
1891–1893 86th Robert J. Reynolds John P. Donohoe Democratic William L. Sirman
1893–1895 87th Robert J. Reynolds Charles B. Houston J. Harvey Whiteman
1895–1897 88th Joshua H. Marvil
William T. Watson
William T. Watson Republican Henry H. McMullen
1897–1899 89th Ebe W. Tunnell Hezekiah Harrington Democratic Emory B. Riggin

Constitution of 1897

edit

Under the original Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.

Prior to 1965, there were seventeen members of the Senate, seven from New Castle County and five each from Kent and Sussex County. There were thirty-five members of the House of Representatives, fifteen from New Castle County and ten each from Kent and Sussex County. All members were elected from single member districts.

Delaware General Assembly 1899–1964
Year Assembly Governor Lt. Governor Senate majority President
pro tempore
House majority Speaker
1899–1900 90th Ebe W. Tunnell None Democratic Charles M. Salmon Republican Theodore F. Clark
1901–1902 91st John Hunn Philip L. Cannon Republican Henry C. Ellison James V. McCommons
1903–1904 92nd John Hunn Philip L. Cannon Henry C. Ellison Henry S. Anthony
1905–1906 93rd Preston Lea Isaac T. Parker Alvin B. Conner William D. Denney
1907–1908 94th Preston Lea Isaac T. Parker George W. Sparks Richard Hodgson
1909–1910 95th Simeon S. Pennewill John M. Mendinhall George W. Sparks Democratic Thomas O. Cooper
1911–1912 96th Simeon S. Pennewill John M. Mendinhall Democratic Thomas M. Monaghan Republican Denward W. Campbell
1913–1914 97th Charles R. Miller Colen Ferguson Republican George W. Marshall Chauncey P. Holcomb
1915–1916 98th Charles R. Miller Colen Ferguson John M. Walker Charles H. Grantland
1917–1918 99th John G. Townsend Jr. Lewis T. Eliason John A. Barnard Democratic Hervey P. Hall
1919–1920 100th John G. Townsend Jr. Lewis T. Eliason Isaac D. Short Republican Alexander P. Corbit
1921–1922 101st William D. Denney J. Danforth Bush Wallace S. Handy Democratic Walter J. Paskey Sr.
1923–1924 102nd William D. Denney J. Danforth Bush Democratic Charles D. Murphy Samuel N. Culver
1925–1926 103rd Robert P. Robinson James H. Anderson William C. Truitt Republican Henry C. Downward
1927–1928 104th Robert P. Robinson James H. Anderson William F. Allen William Wintrup
1929–1930 105th C. Douglass Buck James H. Hazel Republican William A. Simonton Charles W. Messick
1931–1932 106th C. Douglass Buck James H. Hazel William A. Simonton Bud Coy
1933–1934 107th C. Douglass Buck Roy F. Corley William A. Simonton Democratic Julian T. Robinson
1935–1936 108th C. Douglass Buck Roy F. Corley Levi G. Maloney Republican Harry V. Lyons
1937–1938 109th Richard C. McMullen Edward W. Cooch William A. Simonton Democratic John R. Fader
1939–1940 110th Richard C. McMullen Edward W. Cooch David W. Steele Republican Frank R. Zebley
1941–1942 111th Walter W. Bacon Isaac J. MacCollum Harold W. T. Purnell George W. Rhodes
1943–1944 112th Walter W. Bacon Isaac J. MacCollum Clayton A. Bunting Benjamin F. Johnson
1945–1946 113th Walter W. Bacon Elbert N. Carvel Harry H. Mulholland Chester V. Townsend Jr.
1947–1948 114th Walter W. Bacon Elbert N. Carvel George W. Rhodes William T. Chipman
1949–1950 115th Elbert N. Carvel Alexis I. du Pont Bayard Democratic Vera G. Davis Harvey H. Lawson
1951–1952 116th Elbert N. Carvel Alexis I. du Pont Bayard Roy A. Cannon Harvey H. Lawson
1953–1954 117th J. Caleb Boggs John W. Rollins Republican Thomas L. Johnson Frank A. Jones
1955–1956 118th J. Caleb Boggs John W. Rollins Democratic Charles G. Moore Democratic James R. Quigley
1957–1958 119th J. Caleb Boggs David P. Buckson Lemuel Hickman Harry E. Mayhew
1959–1960 120th J. Caleb Boggs David P. Buckson Allen J. Cook Sherman W. Tribbitt
1961–1962 121st Elbert N. Carvel Eugene Lammot John B. Reilly Sherman W. Tribbitt
1963–1964 122nd Elbert N. Carvel Eugene Lammot Curtis W. Steen Sherman W. Tribbitt

Amended Constitution of 1897

edit

Under the amended Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate is elected every two years. Sessions are generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.

Since 1965 the membership of the Senate has increased to twenty-one members and the House to forty-one members. All members are elected from single member districts, with roughly equal population, reapportioned at each census. While district boundaries no longer necessarily follow county boundaries, in the Senate there are presently fourteen districts mostly in New Castle County, three mostly in Kent County, and four mostly in Sussex County. In the House there are presently twenty-six districts mostly in New Castle County, seven mostly in Kent County, and eight mostly in Sussex County.

Delaware General Assembly 1965–present
Year Assembly Governor Lt. Governor Senate majority President
pro tempore
House majority Speaker
1965–1966 123rd Charles L. Terry Jr. Sherman W. Tribbitt Democratic Curtis W. Steen Democratic Harold T. Bockman
1967–1968 124th Charles L. Terry Jr. Sherman W. Tribbitt Calvin R. McCullough Republican George C. Hering III
1969–1970 125th Russell W. Peterson Eugene Bookhammer Republican Reynolds du Pont George C. Hering III
1971–1972 126th Russell W. Peterson Eugene Bookhammer Reynolds du Pont William L. Frederick
1973–1974 127th Sherman W. Tribbitt Eugene Bookhammer Democratic J. Donald Isaacs John F. Kirk Jr.
1975–1976 128th Sherman W. Tribbitt Eugene Bookhammer J. Donald Isaacs Democratic Casimir S. Jonkiert
1977–1978 129th Pete du Pont James D. McGinnis Richard S. Cordrey Kenneth W. Boulden
John P. Ferguson
1979–1980 130th Pete du Pont James D. McGinnis Richard S. Cordrey Republican Robert W. Riddagh
1981–1982 131st Pete du Pont Mike Castle Richard S. Cordrey Charles L. Hebner
1983–1984 132nd Pete du Pont Mike Castle Richard S. Cordrey Democratic Orlando J. George Jr.
1985–1986 133rd Mike Castle Shien Biau Woo Richard S. Cordrey Republican Charles L. Hebner
1987–1988 134th Mike Castle Shien Biau Woo Richard S. Cordrey B. Bradford Barnes
Terry R. Spence
1989–1990 135th Mike Castle Dale E. Wolf Richard S. Cordrey Terry R. Spence
1991–1992 136th Mike Castle Dale E. Wolf Richard S. Cordrey Terry R. Spence
1993–1994 137th Tom Carper Ruth Ann Minner Richard S. Cordrey Terry R. Spence
1995–1996 138th Tom Carper Ruth Ann Minner Richard S. Cordrey Terry R. Spence
1997–1998 139th Tom Carper Ruth Ann Minner Thomas B. Sharp Terry R. Spence
1999–2000 140th Tom Carper Ruth Ann Minner Thomas B. Sharp Terry R. Spence
2001–2002 141st Ruth Ann Minner John Carney Thomas B. Sharp Terry R. Spence
2003–2004 142nd Ruth Ann Minner John Carney Thurman Adams Jr. Terry R. Spence
2005–2006 143rd Ruth Ann Minner John Carney Thurman Adams Jr. Terry R. Spence
2007–2008 144th Ruth Ann Minner John Carney Thurman Adams Jr. Terry R. Spence
2009–2010 145th Jack Markell Matthew P. Denn Anthony J. DeLuca Democratic Robert F. Gilligan
2011–2012 146th Jack Markell Matthew P. Denn Anthony J. DeLuca Robert F. Gilligan
2013–2014 147th Jack Markell Matthew P. Denn Patricia M. Blevins Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2015–2016 148th Jack Markell Vacant Patricia M. Blevins Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2017–2018 149th John Carney Bethany Hall-Long David McBride Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2019–2020 150th John Carney Bethany Hall-Long David McBride Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2021–2022 151st John Carney Bethany Hall-Long David Sokola Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2023–2024 152nd John Carney Bethany Hall-Long David Sokola Peter C. Schwartzkopf

See also

edit

References

edit
  • Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
  • Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
  • Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
  • Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
edit

Places with more information

edit