*OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON JANUARY 11, 2023*

Delaware Democratic Party Chair Betsy Maron has issued the following statement in response to the Delaware Supreme Court ruling in favor of the DEGOP's challenge to vote by mail and same-day voter registration.

"This decision has placed renewed emphasis on just what is at stake in this election. One party wants Delawareans to be able to vote and the other does not. It is that simple. While Democrats have worked tirelessly to make Delaware’s ballot box more accessible. Julianne Murray and the DEGOP have spent the last 4 months fighting tooth and nail to prevent Delawareans from being able to vote.

"To be absolutely clear, Republican opposition to Vote by Mail is not about the method by which these votes are cast but who those votes might be cast for. Republicans would rather keep Delawareans away from the ballot box than actually earn the support of voters. That is not how representative government is intended to work.

"While we are disappointed by yesterday’s decision we are not discouraged. Delaware voters are persistent and will make sure that their voice is heard despite the barriers Republicans have mounted before them. This election cycle, Delawareans will have the option to vote early for the first time ever. It is a convenient and secure option that we encourage anyone who was planning to vote by mail to take advantage of.  We also encourage Delawareans to remember which of this state’s political parties went out of its way to obstruct their access to the ballot box."

14th District Dems Oppose Flying Confederate Flag Outside Marvel Museum

Lewes, Del., August 24, 2022 – At its latest meeting on August 10, the 14th District Democratic Committee took a stand regarding the Confederate flag which flies outside the Marvel Museum in Georgetown. Stating that the flag belongs inside the museum, not flying outside, the group approved a resolution encouraging all elected Democrats in Delaware to “refuse to ride in the carriages provided by the Marvel Museum for the Returns Day Parade until such time as the Confederate flag is removed from outside the Marvel Museum.” 

“We felt it important to speak out against the display of the Confederate flag outside the museum and at the Returns Day Parade,” said Jeff Balk, Chair of the 14th District Democratic Committee. “There’s no place for that divisive symbol of oppression in community events. Instead, we need to take more steps to grapple with our shared history of racism.” 

Since issuing the statement, the group has been circulating the resolution among state Democratic leaders. The 14th RD Democratic Committee represents Democrats who live in the communities surrounding Lewes, south to Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach, and west to Angola. 

WASHINGTON, DC - Delaware Democratic Party Chair Betsy Maron, Governor John Carney, U.S. Senator Chris Coons, and other party leaders presented their proposal to the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee for Delaware to host a Pre-Window Presidential Primary. The proposal focused on The First State’s diversity, strategic competitiveness, and the feasibility of moving Delaware’s presidential nominating contest. The Delaware Democratic Party’s presentation featured video of prominent state and party leaders expressing their support for the state’s proposal. 

Delaware is more diverse than many of the states in the region, boasting a vibrant electorate that is increasingly making its voice heard in local elections. Since 2016 Delaware’s General Assembly has become more representative of this electorate. So much so that in 2020 Delaware welcomed its most diverse class of freshman legislators ever. As it currently stands nearly 1/3rd of Democrats in Delaware’s General Assembly belong to a historically underrepresented group. Similarly, women make up 45% of the Democrats in our legislature.

This diverse electorate and legislature paired with high Democratic registration have made Delaware a showcase for Democratic leadership. Delaware is a well-run state – attracting new businesses to the state, making record-breaking investments in our infrastructure, making focused new investments in schools, keeping taxes low, and making progress in protecting personal rights to health care decisions and the right to vote.  Delaware’s geography also gives campaigns a unique opportunity to hone their campaign messaging and strategy. In Delaware, candidates can easily travel the entire state in just a few hours and encounter a variety of types of voters along the way. From urban voters in the City of Wilmington which is within the Philadelphia / Southern NJ media market, through New Castle County, to rural voters in Kent and Sussex Counties which include parts of the Salisbury and Baltimore, MD media markets, Delaware is the perfect state for presidential candidates to get facetime with an electorate that mirrors America.

If chosen by the RBC, Delaware is in an excellent position to reschedule and conduct its Presidential Primary. Leaders in both chambers of Delaware’s General Assembly have expressed support for moving Delaware’s Presidential Primary and intend to make it a legislative priority if the state is selected. Should the legislation come to his desk Governor John Carney has also conveyed his plan to sign the new date into law. The Delaware Department of Elections has also indicated it has the capacity to conduct a Presidential Primary earlier in the calendar year with minimal budgetary or administrative impact.

Following their presentation Delaware Democratic Party Chair, Betsy Maron stated, "I truly believe Delaware has made an incredibly convincing case for hosting an early Presidential Primary. No other state offers quite the same medley of diverse voters, vibrant political landscape, and legislative expediency that Delaware does, which makes us a perfect proving ground for presidential nominees. I look forward to the Rules and Bylaws Committee's decision and the possibility of welcoming presidential hopefuls to Delaware.”

Dover, Del., July 29, 2022 -- In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Delaware Governor John Carney signed House Bill 455 on June 29 to expand abortion access and protect those traveling to the state to terminate pregnancies. 

The law allows licensed physician assistants, certified nurse practitioners and nurse midwives to provide procedural abortions. It also protects those who come to Delaware for an abortion and the health care providers who perform them.  

Among other provisions in the bill, it will protect medical privacy; limit extradition to other states for criminal charges related to abortion; shield people from civil actions in other states and protect professional licenses. As Democratic state House Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, the bill’s sponsor observed, “It's a great day for women in Delaware. I can't stop crying."

As the local arm of the Delaware Democratic Party, the 14th District Democratic Committee represents Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach and southern Lewes, and works with party members and district neighbors to help elect Democrats to local, state and national office.  Because Delaware holds elections every other year, there's always work to be done, including:

• Registering voters
• Informing residents about Democratic candidates and their platforms
• Organizing Get-Out-The-Vote drives
• Providing volunteers and organizational support to campaigns in our district