List of Delaware General Assembly sessions

This is a list of the sessions of the Delaware General Assembly showing majority parties and leadership for each body and each session. Also included are the corresponding Governors and Lieutenant Governors where applicable. Delaware was one of the 13 colonies of Great Britain that joined the American War of Independence. The General Assembly was formed at that time and has met since then under four state constitutions as indicated.

Constitution of 1776

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1776 the General Assembly consisted of The Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. There were nine members of the Council, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the Assembly, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first day of October, and terms began on the 20th day of October, lasting three years for the Council and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held several times every year.

Delaware General Assembly 1776–1792
Year	Assembly	President		Council majority	Speaker		House majority	Speaker
1776/77	1st	John McKinly Thomas McKean		No parties	George Read		No parties	John McKinly
1777/78	2nd	George Read Caesar Rodney			George Read			Samuel West
1778/79	3rd	Caesar Rodney			Thomas Collins			Samuel West
1779/80	4th	Caesar Rodney			John Clowes			Simon Kollock
1780/81	5th	Caesar Rodney			Thomas Collins			Benjamin Caton
1781/82	6th	Caesar Rodney John Dickinson			Thomas Collins			Simon Kollock
1782/83	7th	John Cook Nicholas Van Dyke			John Cook			Nicholas Van Dyke
1783/84	8th	Nicholas Van Dyke			Caesar Rodney			Robert Bryan
1784/85	9th	Nicholas Van Dyke			Thomas McDonough			Thomas Duff
1785/86	10th	Nicholas Van Dyke			Thomas McDonough			Thomas Duff
1786/87	11th	Thomas Collins			George Craighead			John Cook
1787/88	12th	Thomas Collins			Thomas McDonough			Thomas Rodney
1788/89	13th	Thomas Collins Jehu Davis Joshua Clayton			George Mitchell			Jehu Davis
1789/90	14th	Joshua Clayton			George Mitchell			Jehu Davis
1790/91	15th	Joshua Clayton			George Mitchell			Henry Latimer
1791/92	16th	Joshua Clayton			George Mitchell			Allan McLane

Constitution of 1792

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1792 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday of October and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting three years for the Senate and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held once every year.

Delaware General Assembly 1793–1832
Year	Assembly	Governor		Senate majority	Speaker		House majority	Speaker
1793	17th	Joshua Clayton		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	George Wilson Stephen Lewis
1794	18th	Joshua Clayton			Daniel Rogers			Stephen Lewis
1795	19th	Joshua Clayton			Daniel Rogers			Peter Lowber
1796	20th	Gunning Bedford Sr.			Daniel Rogers			Stephen Lewis
1797	21st	Gunning Bedford Sr. Daniel Rogers			Daniel Rogers			Stephen Lewis
1798	22nd	Daniel Rogers			Isaac Davis			Stephen Lewis
1799	23rd	Richard Bassett			Isaac Davis			Stephen Lewis
1800	24th	Richard Bassett			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1801	25th	Richard Bassett James Sykes			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1802	26th	David Hall			Daniel Rogers			Stephen Lewis
1803	27th	David Hall			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1804	28th	David Hall			James Sykes			Jesse Green
1805	29th	Nathaniel Mitchell			James Sykes			Thomas Laws
1806	30th	Nathaniel Mitchell			James Sykes			Jesse Green
1807	31st	Nathaniel Mitchell			James Sykes			William Warner
1808	32nd	George Truitt			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1809	33rd	George Truitt			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1810	34th	George Truitt			James Sykes			Stephen Lewis
1811	35th	Joseph Haslet			James Sykes			Cornelius P. Comegys
1812	36th	Joseph Haslet			James Sykes			Cornelius P. Comegys
1813	37th	Joseph Haslet			Andrew Barratt			Cornelius P. Comegys
1814	38th	Daniel Rodney			Andrew Barratt			Cornelius P. Comegys
1815	39th	Daniel Rodney			Jesse Green			Cornelius P. Comegys
1816	40th	Daniel Rodney			Jesse Green			Nathan Vickers
1817	41st	John Clark			Henry Molleston			Nathan Vickers
1818	42nd	John Clark			Henry Molleston			Nathan Vickers
1819	43rd	John Clark			Henry Molleston			Nathan Vickers
1820	44th	Jacob Stout			Jacob Stout			Nathan Vickers
1821	45th	John Collins			Caleb Rodney			John Cummins
1822	46th	John Collins Caleb Rodney			Caleb Rodney			Alrichs Ryland
1823	47th	Joseph Haslet Charles Thomas		Democratic-Republican	Charles Thomas		Democratic-Republican	George Clark Jr.
1824	48th	Samuel Paynter		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Joshua Burton
1825	49th	Samuel Paynter			Jesse Green			Joshua Burton
1826	50th	Samuel Paynter			Charles Polk Jr.			Arnold Naudain
1827	51st	Charles Polk Jr.			Henry Whiteley			Archibald Hamilton
1828	52nd	Charles Polk Jr.			Presley Spruance			William W. Morris
1829	53rd	Charles Polk Jr.			Presley Spruance			William W. Morris John Raymond
1830	54th	David Hazzard		National Republican	Presley Spruance		National Republican	Joshua Burton
1831	55th	David Hazzard			Presley Spruance			Joshua Burton
1832	56th	David Hazzard			James P. Lofland			Thomas Davis

Constitution of 1831

Under the Delaware Constitution of 1831 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every two years, in the odd numbered year.

Delaware General Assembly 1832–1898
Year	Assembly	Governor		Senate majority	Speaker		House majority	Speaker
1833–1835	57th	Caleb Bennett		Whig	Joshua Burton		Whig	John Raymond
1835–1837	58th	Caleb Bennett Charles Polk Jr.			Charles Polk Jr.			William D. Waples
1837–1839	59th	Cornelius P. Comegys			Presley Spruance			William D. Waples
1839–1841	60th	Cornelius P. Comegys		Democratic	Thomas Jacobs		Democratic	John P. Brinckloe
1841–1843	61st	William B. Cooper		Whig	Charles Polk Jr.		Whig	Robert Houston
1843–1845	62nd	William B. Cooper			Presley Spruance			William O. Redden
1845–1847	63rd	Thomas Stockton Joseph Maull William Temple			Joseph Maull			William Temple William O. Redden
1847–1849	64th	William Tharp			William W. Morris			Lewis Thompson
1849–1851	65th	William Tharp			William W. Morris			Daniel Cummins
1851–1853	66th	William H. H. Ross		Democratic	John M. Phillips		Democratic	Samuel Jefferson
1853–1855	67th	William H. H. Ross			John M. Phillips			John R. McFee
1855–1857	68th	Peter F. Causey		Know-nothing	Daniel Curry		Know-nothing	Samuel Biddle
1857–1859	69th	Peter F. Causey		Democratic	Abraham Boyce		Democratic	George W. Cummins
1859–1861	70th	William Burton			Manlove Carlisle			John W. F. Jackson
1861–1863	71st	William Burton			John Green		Republican	John F. Williamson
1863–1865	72nd	William Cannon			John R. Tatum		Democratic	John Sorden
1865–1867	73rd	William Cannon Gove Saulsbury			Gove Saulsbury William Hitch			Shephard P. Houston
1867–1869	74th	Gove Saulsbury			James Ponder			William A. Polk
1869–1871	75th	Gove Saulsbury			James W. Minors			John Hickman
1871–1873	76th	James Ponder			Charles Gooding			Sewell C. Biggs
1873–1875	77th	James Ponder			Allen V. Leslie			Joseph Burchenal
1875–1877	78th	John P. Cochran			Charles C. Stockley			Thomas Holcomb
1877–1879	79th	John P. Cochran			John T. Moore			Hugh Martin
1879–1881	80th	John W. Hall			Charles J. Harrington			Swithin Chandler
1881–1883	81st	John W. Hall			Cateby F. Rust			Reynear Williams
1883–1885	82nd	Charles C. Stockley			Samuel B. Cooper			George H. Bates
1885–1887	83rd	Charles C. Stockley			Alexander B. Cooper			William A. Comegys
1887–1889	84th	Benjamin T. Biggs			John E. Collins			William R. McCabe
1889–1891	85th	Benjamin T. Biggs			Beniah L. Lewis		Republican	John H. Hoffecker
1891–1893	86th	Robert J. Reynolds			John P. Donohoe		Democratic	William L. Sirman
1893–1895	87th	Robert J. Reynolds			Charles B. Houston			J. Harvey Whiteman
1895–1897	88th	Joshua H. Marvil William T. Watson			William T. Watson		Republican	Henry H. McMullen
1897–1899	89th	Ebe W. Tunnell			Hezekiah Harrington		Democratic	Emory B. Riggin

Constitution of 1897

Under the original Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.

Prior to 1965, there were seventeen members of the Senate, seven from New Castle County and five each from Kent and Sussex County. There were thirty-five members of the House of Representatives, fifteen from New Castle County and ten each from Kent and Sussex County. All members were elected from single member districts.

Delaware General Assembly 1899–1964
Year	Assembly	Governor	Lt. Governor		Senate majority	President pro tempore		House majority	Speaker
1899–1900	90th	Ebe W. Tunnell	None		Democratic	Charles M. Salmon		Republican	Theodore F. Clark
1901–1902	91st	John Hunn	Philip L. Cannon		Republican	Henry C. Ellison			James V. McCommons
1903–1904	92nd	John Hunn	Philip L. Cannon			Henry C. Ellison			Henry S. Anthony
1905–1906	93rd	Preston Lea	Isaac T. Parker			Alvin B. Conner			William D. Denney
1907–1908	94th	Preston Lea	Isaac T. Parker			George W. Sparks			Richard Hodgson
1909–1910	95th	Simeon S. Pennewill	John M. Mendinhall			George W. Sparks		Democratic	Thomas O. Cooper
1911–1912	96th	Simeon S. Pennewill	John M. Mendinhall		Democratic	Thomas M. Monaghan		Republican	Denward W. Campbell
1913–1914	97th	Charles R. Miller	Colen Ferguson		Republican	George W. Marshall			Chauncey P. Holcomb
1915–1916	98th	Charles R. Miller	Colen Ferguson			John M. Walker			Charles H. Grantland
1917–1918	99th	John G. Townsend Jr.	Lewis T. Eliason			John A. Barnard		Democratic	Hervey P. Hall
1919–1920	100th	John G. Townsend Jr.	Lewis T. Eliason			Isaac D. Short		Republican	Alexander P. Corbit
1921–1922	101st	William D. Denney	J. Danforth Bush			Wallace S. Handy		Democratic	Walter J. Paskey Sr.
1923–1924	102nd	William D. Denney	J. Danforth Bush		Democratic	Charles D. Murphy			Samuel N. Culver
1925–1926	103rd	Robert P. Robinson	James H. Anderson			William C. Truitt		Republican	Henry C. Downward
1927–1928	104th	Robert P. Robinson	James H. Anderson			William F. Allen			William Wintrup
1929–1930	105th	C. Douglass Buck	James H. Hazel		Republican	William A. Simonton			Charles W. Messick
1931–1932	106th	C. Douglass Buck	James H. Hazel			William A. Simonton			Bud Coy
1933–1934	107th	C. Douglass Buck	Roy F. Corley			William A. Simonton		Democratic	Julian T. Robinson
1935–1936	108th	C. Douglass Buck	Roy F. Corley			Levi G. Maloney		Republican	Harry V. Lyons
1937–1938	109th	Richard C. McMullen	Edward W. Cooch			William A. Simonton		Democratic	John R. Fader
1939–1940	110th	Richard C. McMullen	Edward W. Cooch			David W. Steele		Republican	Frank R. Zebley
1941–1942	111th	Walter W. Bacon	Isaac J. MacCollum			Harold W. T. Purnell			George W. Rhodes
1943–1944	112th	Walter W. Bacon	Isaac J. MacCollum			Clayton A. Bunting			Benjamin F. Johnson
1945–1946	113th	Walter W. Bacon	Elbert N. Carvel			Harry H. Mulholland			Chester V. Townsend Jr.
1947–1948	114th	Walter W. Bacon	Elbert N. Carvel			George W. Rhodes			William T. Chipman
1949–1950	115th	Elbert N. Carvel	Alexis I. du Pont Bayard		Democratic	Vera G. Davis			Harvey H. Lawson
1951–1952	116th	Elbert N. Carvel	Alexis I. du Pont Bayard			Roy A. Cannon			Harvey H. Lawson
1953–1954	117th	J. Caleb Boggs	John W. Rollins		Republican	Thomas L. Johnson			Frank A. Jones
1955–1956	118th	J. Caleb Boggs	John W. Rollins		Democratic	Charles G. Moore		Democratic	James R. Quigley
1957–1958	119th	J. Caleb Boggs	David P. Buckson			Lemuel Hickman			Harry E. Mayhew
1959–1960	120th	J. Caleb Boggs	David P. Buckson			Allen J. Cook			Sherman W. Tribbitt
1961–1962	121st	Elbert N. Carvel	Eugene Lammot			John B. Reilly			Sherman W. Tribbitt
1963–1964	122nd	Elbert N. Carvel	Eugene Lammot			Curtis W. Steen			Sherman W. Tribbitt

Amended Constitution of 1897

Under the amended Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate is elected every two years. Sessions are generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.

Since 1965 the membership of the Senate has increased to twenty-one members and the House to forty-one members. All members are elected from single member districts, with roughly equal population, reapportioned at each census. While district boundaries no longer necessarily follow county boundaries, in the Senate there are presently fourteen districts mostly in New Castle County, three mostly in Kent County, and four mostly in Sussex County. In the House there are presently twenty-six districts mostly in New Castle County, seven mostly in Kent County, and eight mostly in Sussex County.

Delaware General Assembly 1965–present
Year	Assembly	Governor	Lt. Governor		Senate majority	President pro tempore		House majority	Speaker
1965–1966	123rd	Charles L. Terry Jr.	Sherman W. Tribbitt		Democratic	Curtis W. Steen		Democratic	Harold T. Bockman
1967–1968	124th	Charles L. Terry Jr.	Sherman W. Tribbitt			Calvin R. McCullough		Republican	George C. Hering III
1969–1970	125th	Russell W. Peterson	Eugene Bookhammer		Republican	Reynolds du Pont			George C. Hering III
1971–1972	126th	Russell W. Peterson	Eugene Bookhammer			Reynolds du Pont			William L. Frederick
1973–1974	127th	Sherman W. Tribbitt	Eugene Bookhammer		Democratic	J. Donald Isaacs			John F. Kirk Jr.
1975–1976	128th	Sherman W. Tribbitt	Eugene Bookhammer			J. Donald Isaacs		Democratic	Casimir S. Jonkiert
1977–1978	129th	Pete du Pont	James D. McGinnis			Richard S. Cordrey			Kenneth W. Boulden John P. Ferguson
1979–1980	130th	Pete du Pont	James D. McGinnis			Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Robert W. Riddagh
1981–1982	131st	Pete du Pont	Mike Castle			Richard S. Cordrey			Charles L. Hebner
1983–1984	132nd	Pete du Pont	Mike Castle			Richard S. Cordrey		Democratic	Orlando J. George Jr.
1985–1986	133rd	Mike Castle	Shien Biau Woo			Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Charles L. Hebner
1987–1988	134th	Mike Castle	Shien Biau Woo			Richard S. Cordrey			B. Bradford Barnes Terry R. Spence
1989–1990	135th	Mike Castle	Dale E. Wolf			Richard S. Cordrey			Terry R. Spence
1991–1992	136th	Mike Castle	Dale E. Wolf			Richard S. Cordrey			Terry R. Spence
1993–1994	137th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner			Richard S. Cordrey			Terry R. Spence
1995–1996	138th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner			Richard S. Cordrey			Terry R. Spence
1997–1998	139th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner			Thomas B. Sharp			Terry R. Spence
1999–2000	140th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner			Thomas B. Sharp			Terry R. Spence
2001–2002	141st	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney			Thomas B. Sharp			Terry R. Spence
2003–2004	142nd	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney			Thurman Adams Jr.			Terry R. Spence
2005–2006	143rd	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney			Thurman Adams Jr.			Terry R. Spence
2007–2008	144th	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney			Thurman Adams Jr.			Terry R. Spence
2009–2010	145th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn			Anthony J. DeLuca		Democratic	Robert F. Gilligan
2011–2012	146th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn			Anthony J. DeLuca			Robert F. Gilligan
2013–2014	147th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn			Patricia M. Blevins			Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2015–2016	148th	Jack Markell	Vacant			Patricia M. Blevins			Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2017–2018	149th	John Carney	Bethany Hall-Long			David McBride			Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2019–2020	150th	John Carney	Bethany Hall-Long			David McBride			Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2021–2022	151st	John Carney	Bethany Hall-Long			David Sokola			Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2023–2024	152nd	John Carney	Bethany Hall-Long			David Sokola			Peter C. Schwartzkopf

See also

• Historical outline of Delaware
• Lists of United States state legislative sessions

References

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.

External links

• Delaware General Assembly

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 Market St, Wilmington, Delaware; (302) 655-7161.
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Ave, Newark, Delaware; (302) 831–2965.