September 2026
By Todd Brown, EdD
A guide to Representative Districts and Delaware’s Political Structure
Like me, many voters in Coastal Delaware moved here from somewhere else. In my case, I grew up in Texas and then lived in Pennsylvania for many years. When I moved to Sussex County and decided to get involved with the Democratic Party, the concept of an “RD” was completely unfamiliar to me. It turns out that “RD” simply stands for Representative District; it’s the geographic area from which a member of the State House of Representatives is elected. Some states use terms like “House District” to refer to a region that in Delaware is called an RD. The 14th RD, our home turf, is comprised of Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, and the portion of Lewes that lies south of Kings Highway.
Delaware has 41 Representative Districts, each represented in Dover by one State Representative elected to a two-year term. Our State House of Representatives is the lower body of the General Assembly (what in some states would be a called a Legislature). The upper body is the State Senate. District lines are periodically redrawn to reflect population shifts. Per state law, boundaries should consist of roads, streams, rivers, or other natural boundaries. State law further requires that districts may not be drawn to favor any particular political party.
The 14th RD Democratic Committee is the local branch of the state Democratic Party. As such, our work is multifaceted. We hold a business meeting once per month in Rehoboth Beach at which we address a variety of topics, including our RD budget, campaign events, voter drives, community outreach, communication strategy, and the needs of younger voters. Each meeting is usually preceded by a presentation, often from an elected official or candidate. Members of the public are invited to attend our meetings with prior registration.
There is an old saying that “all politics is local.” While we have strong connections with the Democratic party at the state and national levels, our focus is right here at the Delaware beaches. We work on issues like affordable housing, improved road and health care infrastructure, and solid public schools. Your concerns are our concerns, and we are here for you. As we like to say, we are your neighbors. We’re teachers, nurses, doctors, firefighters, students, and retirees who are working to elect Democratic candidates and to build an even stronger community. We invite you to join us! Visit 14thRDDelDems.com to connect and find out more.
Todd Brown, EdD, chairs the Media Relations Committee and co-chairs the Young Democrats Committee. He served as special education supervisor for the Souderton, PA, School District and was involved with the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He resides in Rehoboth with his husband Eric and two dogs, Wendy and Wilma.