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Legislative Priority
Understanding the Stakes: Delaware’s Elections and Their Implications
BY TYLER MICIK
AT THE TIME of writing this article, the primary elections are over and there’s a little over a month until the General Election on Tuesday, November 5. By the time you read this, the election results will be known. Although some of the outcomes at this time are unclear, one thing is certain: Delaware’s elected and appointed leadership will be different than it is now, which will influence policy decisions that impact businesses.
In the general election, all of Delaware’s statewide races have two or more candidates running for office. As for the House and Senate races, only two Senate Districts (2 and 6) have incumbents with an opponent: Democratic Senators Brown and Huxtable. In the House, there are 21 seats up for grabs. Six incumbent Republicans are facing a Democratic opponent, 12 incumbent Democrats are facing a Republican opponent, and there are three open seats (Districts 10, 14, and 21).
It’s important to note that if all incumbents in the House of Representatives on both sides of the aisle hold onto their seats, and Democrats pick up the three open seats, that would bring their total to 27—up one from their current count. This would increase their decision-making power, which is important for bills or actions that require a specific number of votes.
For example, a three-fifths bill requires 25 votes. These bills include actions like overriding a governor’s veto and imposing or increasing a tax. A two-thirds bill requires 28 votes and involves actions like amending the Constitution or enacting corporation law and municipal charters. A three-fourths bill requires 31 votes and usually covers acts like creating debts and appropriations outside the government.
Barack Obama once said, “No party has a monopoly on wisdom. No democracy works without compromise.” Despite the election’s outcomes, we hope the members of the 153rd General Assembly will work collaboratively with all stakeholders and their colleagues across the aisle to support the needs of Delaware’s employers and employees.
I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: relationships with elected officials are important. They help put a face to the company so that when legislators are making policy decisions, they’re not just thinking about a company name—they’re thinking about its employees, who they’ve met, and the impacts their decisions could have on them. The State Chamber’s Member-to-Member program brings businesses and members of the General Assembly together to help achieve this.
This fall, the State Chamber organized several of these meetings, including the one pictured at Cover & Rossiter, a certified public accounting firm in Wilmington. If you haven’t done so, I’d encourage you to invite your state representative and senator to your business. I’ve witnessed firsthand the value these meetings provide. Now more than ever, it’s important for Delaware’s business community to get engaged because our state’s future is at stake. And, like the saying goes, if you’re not at the table, you may end up on the menu. If you’d like to schedule a meeting, please reach out to me at tmicik@dscc.com to learn more.
Tyler Micik is the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s director of public policy and government relations.
