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		no parties	George Read		no parties	Samuel West
1778/79	3rd	Caesar Rodney		no parties	Thomas Collins		no parties	Samuel West
1779/80	4th	Caesar Rodney		no parties	John Clowes		no parties	Simon Kollock
1780/81	5th	Caesar Rodney		no parties	Thomas Collins		no parties	Benjamin Caton
1781/82	6th	Caesar Rodney John Dickinson		no parties	Thomas Collins		no parties	Simon Kollock
1782/83	7th	John Cook Nicholas Van Dyke		no parties	John Cook		no parties	Nicholas Van Dyke
1783/84	8th	Nicholas Van Dyke		no parties	Caesar Rodney		no parties	Robert Bryan
1784/85	9th	Nicholas Van Dyke		no parties	Thomas McDonough		no parties	Thomas Duff
1785/86	10th	Nicholas Van Dyke		no parties	Thomas McDonough		no parties	Thomas Duff
1786/87	11th	Thomas Collins		no parties	George Craighead		no parties	John Cook
1787/88	12th	Thomas Collins		no parties	Thomas McDonough		no parties	Thomas Rodney
1788/89	13th	Thomas Collins Jehu Davis Joshua Clayton		no parties	George Mitchell		no parties	Jehu Davis
1789/90	14th	Joshua Clayton		no parties	George Mitchell		no parties	Jehu Davis
1790/91	15th	Joshua Clayton		no parties	George Mitchell		no parties	Henry Latimer
1791/92	16th	Joshua Clayton		no parties	George Mitchell		no parties	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		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1795	19th	Joshua Clayton		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Peter Lowber
1796	20th	Gunning Bedford, Sr.		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1797	21st	Gunning Bedford, Sr. Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1798	22nd	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Isaac Davis		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1799	23rd	Richard Bassett		Federalist	Isaac Davis		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1800	24th	Richard Bassett		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1801	25th	Richard Bassett James Sykes		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1802	26th	David Hall		Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1803	27th	David Hall		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1804	28th	David Hall		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Jesse Green
1805	29th	Nathaniel Mitchell		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Thomas Laws
1806	30th	Nathaniel Mitchell		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Jesse Green
1807	31st	Nathaniel Mitchell		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	William Warner
1808	32nd	George Truitt		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1809	33rd	George Truitt		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1810	34th	George Truitt		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Stephen Lewis
1811	35th	Joseph Haslet		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Cornelius P. Comegys
1812	36th	Joseph Haslet		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Cornelius P. Comegys
1813	37th	Joseph Haslet		Federalist	Andrew Barratt		Federalist	Cornelius P. Comegys
1814	38th	Daniel Rodney		Federalist	Andrew Barratt		Federalist	Cornelius P. Comegys
1815	39th	Daniel Rodney		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Cornelius P. Comegys
1816	40th	Daniel Rodney		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Nathan Vickers
1817	41st	John Clark		Federalist	Henry Molleston		Federalist	Nathan Vickers
1818	42nd	John Clark		Federalist	Henry Molleston		Federalist	Nathan Vickers
1819	43rd	John Clark		Federalist	Henry Molleston		Federalist	Nathan Vickers
1820	44th	Jacob Stout		Federalist	Jacob Stout		Federalist	Nathan Vickers
1821	45th	John Collins		Federalist	Caleb Rodney		Federalist	John Cummins
1822	46th	John Collins Caleb Rodney		Federalist	Caleb Rodney		Federalist	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		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Joshua Burton
1826	50th	Samuel Paynter		Federalist	Charles Polk, Jr.		Federalist	Arnold S. Naudain
1827	51st	Charles Polk, Jr.		Federalist	Henry Whiteley		Federalist	Archibald Hamilton
1828	52nd	Charles Polk, Jr.		Federalist	Presley Spruance		Federalist	William W. Morris
1829	53rd	Charles Polk, Jr.		Federalist	Presley Spruance		Federalist	William W. Morris John Raymond
1830	54th	David Hazzard		National Republican	Presley Spruance		National Republican	Joshua Burton
1831	55th	David Hazzard		National Republican	Presley Spruance		National Republican	Joshua Burton
1832	56th	David Hazzard		National Republican	James P. Lofland		National Republican	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.		Whig	Charles Polk, Jr.		Whig	William D. Waples
1837–1839	59th	Cornelius P. Comegys		Whig	Presley Spruance		Whig	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		Whig	Presley Spruance		Whig	William O. Redden
1845–1847	63rd	Thomas Stockton Joseph Maull William Temple		Whig	Joseph Maull		Whig	William Temple William O. Redden
1847–1849	64th	William Tharp		Whig	William W. Morris		Whig	Lewis Thompson
1849–1851	65th	William Tharp		Whig	William W. Morris		Whig	Daniel Cummins
1851–1853	66th	William H. H. Ross		Democratic	John M. Phillips		Democratic	Samuel Jefferson
1853–1855	67th	William H. H. Ross		Democratic	John M. Phillips		Democratic	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		Democratic	Manlove Carlisle		Democratic	John W. F. Jackson
1861–1863	71st	William Burton		Democratic	John Green		Republican	John F. Williamson
1863–1865	72nd	William Cannon		Democratic	John R. Tatum		Democratic	John Sorden
1865–1867	73rd	William Cannon Gove Saulsbury		Democratic	Gove Saulsbury William Hitch		Democratic	Shephard P. Houston
1867–1869	74th	Gove Saulsbury		Democratic	James Ponder		Democratic	William A. Polk
1869–1871	75th	Gove Saulsbury		Democratic	James W. Minors		Democratic	John Hickman
1871–1873	76th	James Ponder		Democratic	Charles Gooding		Democratic	Sewell C. Biggs
1873–1875	77th	James Ponder		Democratic	Allen V. Leslie		Democratic	Joseph Burchenal
1875–1877	78th	John P. Cochran		Democratic	Charles C. Stockley		Democratic	Thomas Holcomb
1877–1879	79th	John P. Cochran		Democratic	John T. Moore		Democratic	Hugh Martin
1879–1881	80th	John W. Hall		Democratic	Charles J. Harrington		Democratic	Swithin Chandler
1881–1883	81st	John W. Hall		Democratic	Cateby F. Rust		Democratic	Reynear Williams
1883–1885	82nd	Charles C. Stockley		Democratic	Samuel B. Cooper		Democratic	George H. Bates
1885–1887	83rd	Charles C. Stockley		Democratic	Alexander B. Cooper		Democratic	William A. Comegys
1887–1889	84th	Benjamin T. Biggs		Democratic	John E. Collins		Democratic	William R. McCabe
1889–1891	85th	Benjamin T. Biggs		Democratic	Beniah L. Lewis		Republican	John H. Hoffecker
1891–1893	86th	Robert J. Reynolds		Democratic	John P. Donohoe		Democratic	William L. Sirman
1893–1895	87th	Robert J. Reynolds		Democratic	Charles B. Houston		Democratic	J. Harvey Whiteman
1895–1897	88th	Joshua H. Marvil William T. Watson		Democratic	William T. Watson		Republican	Henry H. McMullen
1897–1899	89th	Ebe W. Tunnell		Democratic	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		Republican	James V. McCommons
1903–1904	92nd	John Hunn	Philip L. Cannon		Republican	Henry C. Ellison		Republican	Henry S. Anthony
1905–1906	93rd	Preston Lea	Isaac T. Parker		Republican	Alvin B. Conner		Republican	William D. Denney
1907–1908	94th	Preston Lea	Isaac T. Parker		Republican	George W. Sparks		Republican	Richard Hodgson
1909–1910	95th	Simeon S. Pennewill	John M. Mendinhall		Republican	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 (politician)	Colen Ferguson		Republican	George W. Marshall		Republican	Chauncey P. Holcomb
1915–1916	98th	Charles R. Miller	Colen Ferguson		Republican	John M. Walker		Republican	Charles H. Grantland
1917–1918	99th	John G. Townsend, Jr.	Lewis T. Eliason		Republican	John A. Barnard		Democratic	Hervey P. Hall
1919–1920	100th	John G. Townsend, Jr.	Lewis T. Eliason		Republican	Isaac D. Short		Republican	Alexander P. Corbit
1921–1922	101st	William D. Denney	J. Danforth Bush		Republican	Wallace S. Handy		Democratic	Walter J. Paskey, Sr.
1923–1924	102nd	William D. Denney	J. Danforth Bush		Democratic	Charles D. Murphy		Democratic	Samuel N. Culver
1925–1926	103rd	Robert P. Robinson	James H. Anderson		Democratic	William C. Truitt		Republican	Henry C. Downward
1927–1928	104th	Robert P. Robinson	James H. Anderson		Democratic	William F. Allen		Republican	William Wintrup
1929–1930	105th	C. Douglass Buck	James H. Hazel		Republican	William A. Simonton		Republican	Charles W. Messick
1931–1932	106th	C. Douglass Buck	James H. Hazel		Republican	William A. Simonton		Republican	Bud Coy
1933–1934	107th	C. Douglass Buck	Roy F. Corley		Republican	William A. Simonton		Democratic	Julian T. Robinson
1935–1936	108th	C. Douglass Buck	Roy F. Corley		Republican	Levi G. Maloney		Republican	Harry V. Lyons
1937–1938	109th	Richard C. McMullen	Edward W. Cooch		Republican	William A. Simonton		Democratic	John R. Fader
1939–1940	110th	Richard C. McMullen	Edward W. Cooch		Republican	David W. Steele		Republican	Frank R. Zebley
1941–1942	111th	Walter W. Bacon	Isaac J. MacCollum		Republican	Harold W. T. Purnell		Republican	George W. Rhodes
1943–1944	112th	Walter W. Bacon	Isaac J. MacCollum		Republican	Clayton A. Bunting		Republican	Benjamin F. Johnson
1945–1946	113th	Walter W. Bacon	Elbert N. Carvel		Republican	Harry H. Mulholland		Republican	Chester V. Townsend, Jr.
1947–1948	114th	Walter W. Bacon	Elbert N. Carvel		Republican	George W. Rhodes		Republican	William T. Chipman
1949–1950	115th	Elbert N. Carvel	Alexis I. du Pont Bayard		Democratic	Vera G. Davis		Republican	Harvey H. Lawson
1951–1952	116th	Elbert N. Carvel	Alexis I. du Pont Bayard		Democratic	Roy A. Cannon		Republican	Harvey H. Lawson
1953–1954	117th	J. Caleb Boggs	John W. Rollins		Republican	Thomas L. Johnson		Republican	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		Democratic	Lemuel Hickman		Democratic	Harry E. Mayhew
1959–1960	120th	J. Caleb Boggs	David P. Buckson		Democratic	Allen J. Cook		Democratic	Sherman W. Tribbitt
1961–1962	121st	Elbert N. Carvel	Eugene Lammot		Democratic	John B. Reilly		Democratic	Sherman W. Tribbitt
1963–1964	122nd	Elbert N. Carvel	Eugene Lammot		Democratic	Curtis W. Steen		Democratic	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 1965–2008
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		Democratic	Calvin R. McCullough		Republican	George C. Hering, III
1969–1970	125th	Russell W. Peterson	Eugene Bookhammer		Republican	Reynolds du Pont		Republican	George C. Hering, III
1971–1972	126th	Russell W. Peterson	Eugene Bookhammer		Republican	Reynolds du Pont		Republican	William L. Frederick
1973–1974	127th	Sherman W. Tribbitt	Eugene Bookhammer		Democratic	J. Donald Isaacs		Republican	John F. Kirk, Jr.
1975–1976	128th	Sherman W. Tribbitt	Eugene Bookhammer		Democratic	J. Donald Isaacs		Democratic	Casimir S. Jonkiert
1977–1978	129th	Pierre S. du Pont, IV	James D. McGinnis		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Democratic	Kenneth W. Boulden John P. Ferguson
1979–1980	130th	Pierre S. du Pont, IV	James D. McGinnis		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Robert W. Riddagh
1981–1982	131st	Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Michael N. Castle		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Charles L. Hebner
1983–1984	132nd	Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Michael N. Castle		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Democratic	Orlando J. George, Jr.
1985–1986	133rd	Michael N. Castle	Shien Biau Woo		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Charles L. Hebner
1987–1988	134th	Michael N. Castle	Shien Biau Woo		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	B. Bradford Barnes Terry R. Spence
1989–1990	135th	Michael N. Castle	Dale E. Wolf		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Terry R. Spence
1991–1992	136th	Michael N. Castle	Dale E. Wolf		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Terry R. Spence
1993–1994	137th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Terry R. Spence
1995–1996	138th	Tom Carper	Ruth Ann Minner		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Terry R. Spence
1997–1998	139th	Thomas R. Carper	Ruth Ann Minner		Democratic	Thomas B. Sharp		Republican	Terry R. Spence
1999–2000	140th	Thomas R. Carper	Ruth Ann Minner		Democratic	Thomas B. Sharp		Republican	Terry R. Spence
2001–2002	141st	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney		Democratic	Thomas B. Sharp		Republican	Terry R. Spence
2003–2004	142nd	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney		Democratic	Thurman Adams, Jr.		Republican	Terry R. Spence
2005–2006	143rd	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney		Democratic	Thurman Adams, Jr.		Republican	Terry R. Spence
2007–2008	144th	Ruth Ann Minner	John Carney		Democratic	Thurman Adams, Jr.		Republican	Terry R. Spence
2009–2010	145th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn		Democratic	Anthony J. DeLuca		Democratic	Robert F. Gilligan
2011–2012	146th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn		Democratic	Anthony J. DeLuca		Democratic	Robert F. Gilligan
2013–2014	147th	Jack Markell	Matthew P. Denn		Democratic	Patricia M. Blevins		Democratic	Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2015–2016	148th	Jack Markell	Vacant		Democratic	Patricia M. Blevins		Democratic	Peter C. Schwartzkopf
2017–2018	149th	John Carney	Bethany Hall-Long		Democratic	David McBride		Democratic	Peter C. Schwartzkopf

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