close
close

Association-anemone

Bite-sized brilliance in every update

    • What we learned from the Delaware results
    asane

    What we learned from the Delaware results

    Online Niel Posted on

    Even though nearly 50,000 new Delawareans were eligible to vote this year, turnout in the first state didn’t even come close to the last presidential election.

    About 65 percent of Delaware voters cast ballots in this year’s general election, nearly 4 percentage points fewer than in the 2020 election that sent Delaware’s Joe Biden to the White House, defeating then-president Donald Trump.

    It was the state’s largest voter turnout since the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, which drew 69% of registered Delaware voters at the polls. Obama’s election, which attracted young voters at the polls in large numbersit became a historic moment when the first black man was elected president.

    SEE THE FULL ELECTIONS RESULTS HERE.

    From women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive rights to social security and the military, many issues drove voters to the polls this year, where U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris faces Trump for president, and other statewide races in Delaware are dominating the polls.

    Here are some key takeaways from Delaware’s preliminary results:

    Turnout in 2024 in First State

    With only four polling stations to go by 11pm on Tuesday, 64.98% of eligible voters had cast their ballots.

    There are 788,548 people registered to vote this year, a 6.5% increase over the 2020 presidential election, the registered voter numbers show.

    Delaware’s final early voting election report showed 247,142 Delawareans cast their ballots before Election Day, according to Elections Department data, representing only 31% of registered voters. (Of course, not everyone who casts a ballot is voting for president.)

    The last presidential election

    Delaware voter turnout in the 2020 election was just shy of matching the record reached in 2008 at 68.76%.

    During the last presidential election, consistently high voter turnout among Delawareans age 50 and older helped boost overall rates, but even the state’s youngest voters, ages 18 to 20 , saw a 10 percent increase from 2016 to 2020. Voters ages 21 to 49 saw more modest increases of 1 percent to 2 percent.

    The voters drew lots parallels between Obama and Harris as young voters they were energized by Harris and the chance to make her the first woman president in US history, as well as the first black woman and South Asian president.

    Delaware’s 2008 youth voter turnout was 69 percent, but it won’t be known if this year’s numbers will come close until election results are finalized and data is compiled.

    What remains constant over time is high voter turnout among Delawareans 50 and older. Voting rates among these age groups were 75% or more in 2020.

    History Made in Delaware Federal Places

    State Sen. Sarah McBride made history Tuesday night by becoming the first transgender person elected to federal office in United States history when Delaware sends a Democrat to Congress.

    McBride, a 34-year-old state legislator, defeated Republican John Whalen in the general elections on Tuesday.

    McBride became Delaware’s first trans person elected to office when she won a Senate seat in 2020, making her the nation’s highest-ranking trans elected official.

    She will fill the congressional seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who will replace retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Carper.

    Blunt Rochester she also made history with her victory in the Senatewhere she is the first black woman from Delaware and the first woman to represent the state in that legislative body. The 62-year-old Wilmington native has already spent nearly eight years as Delaware’s first representative of color and first woman in Congress.

    Blunt Rochester outscored Republican challenger Eric Hansen by at least 16 points. Independent Mike Katz had less than 4% of the vote, unofficial election results show.

    Meyer consolidates victory for Delaware governor

    New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer consolidated his victory for Delaware’s next governor Tuesday, beating Republican challenger Mike Ramone by nearly 12 percentage points.

    Ramone, who has represented Pike Creek in the Delaware House of Representatives since 2008 and most recently served as House Minority Leader, told Delaware Online/The News Journal during a recent editorial board meeting that if not successful in his bid for governor, he would enjoy retirement as a grandfather.

    “I am optimistic about Delaware’s future and remain committed to making Delaware the best state to live, work, raise a family, start a business and retire,” Ramone said in a statement sent via e-mail. “Now, I’m going to focus on being a Pop Pop.”

    Ramone beat Meyer in both Sussex and Kent counties, but the county executive got nearly double the votes in New Castle County.

    New Castle County’s political landscape is changing

    With Meyer headed for the governor’s office in January, the change opens the door to a new administration with Democrat Marcus Henry. He was unopposed in Tuesday’s general election.

    The County Board will also have a new leader after Monique Johns won decisively against Republican Melissa Brayman on Tuesday, capturing more than 62 percent of the vote to Brayman’s 37.5 percent.

    Johns raised eyebrows recently after asking for county taxpayer funds to cover his own swearing-in party. Last month, before the election, Johns boldly asked for money from New Castle Council, even though she was yet to face her challenger, Brayman.

    CONTROVERSIES AT THE COUNCIL: Why this unelected NCCo board candidate wants county dollars for swearing-in party

    Do you have a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at [email protected]. Follow X at @mandy_fries.

    Online Niel
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like