First redistricting hearing details Sussex growth

No maps were presented at the first state redistricting hearing Sept. 28, but about two dozen legislative districts may be revamped as officials decide how to carve up representation for Delaware’s shifting population.

Already five months behind schedule, Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said legislators have a constitutional mandate to approve new legislative maps for both House and Senate districts by Nov. 8.

“This late release is impacting states across the country and will necessitate a special legislative session later this fall to pass a bill that details the new legislative districts for the next decade,” Schwartzkopf said.

Delaware’s population is about 990,000, a 10 percent increase from 2010, based on U.S. Census data, which was delayed because of COVID. 

Sussex County saw the largest increase, growing about 20 percent to 237,378. Schwartzkopf has previously said that Sussex County stands to gain one or two new legislative seats.

Taking Delaware’s population and dividing it by 41 – the number of House districts – the ideal district population works out to 24,145. A 10 percent deviation would give a district a 22,938 minimum and a 25,352 maximum.

Two Sussex County districts are among the three largest in the state. The 38th District, held by Rep. Ron Gray, R-Selbyville, is about 25 percent above the average with 30,099 residents, and the 37th District, held by Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, is about 24 percent higher with a population of 29,876. Schwartzkopf’s 14th District increased about 13 percent for a total of 27,191. The district with the largest population drop was the 23rd, held by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, down about 18 percent for a total of 19,703. Two Wilmington districts also saw declines – the 3rd, held by Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker, D-Wilmington West, decreasing 16 percent to 20,235, and the 1st District, held by Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, D-Wilmington, which declined about 12 percent to 21,317. 

On the Senate side, the ideal district population is 47,140. The 6th District, held by Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, grew the most by about 20 percent for a total of 56,440. The 20th District, held by Sen. Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, also posted large gains with about 17 percent growth for a total of 54,916.

The biggest declines were among the 2nd District, held by Sen. Darius Brown, D-Wilmington East; the 3rd District, held by Sen. Elizabeth Lockman, D-Wilmington West; and the 5th District, held by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Heatherbrooke. Brown’s district declined about 14 percent to 40,686, Lockman’s declined about 12 percent to 41,527, and Gay’s declined 12 percent to 41,440.

The date for the next hearing has not yet been announced.

Sussex waiting for state action

Once legislative districts have been redrawn, Sussex County’s five council districts will be updated.

Each of the districts must contain approximately the same population – about 47,500 based on the latest census data.

The last redistricting, approved in October 2011, was based on a county population of 197,145, which was a 26 percent increase from 2000. Each district contained 37,458-41,401 residents.

Reporter Ron MacArthur contributed to this story

This story has been updated with the correct district numbers for Rep. Ron Gray and Rep. Ruth Briggs King