By John Carney I was in Millsboro on Election Day, and in addition to greeting old friends as they went to the polls, I had an especially meaningful experience. A young man was walking nervously toward the fire station that doubled as his polling place. As I stuck out my hand to introduce myself, he said, "Do you know how this works?" I looked at him funny and he said, "I'm a first-time voter. I've never done this before." Fortunately, poll workers were able to tell him what he needed to know and he walked out a happy voter. As Governor, I get to travel our state every day and talk to Delawareans from all walks of life. Part of my job is to encourage more Delawareans -- like that young man in Millsboro -- to participate in our democratic process. To have their voices heard. And, most importantly, to vote in elections. We ought to make it as easy as possible, not harder, for eligible Delawareans to exercise their right to vote. I hear all the reasons why Delawareans choose not to cast a ballot when the time comes: Voting is inconvenient. My vote doesn't really matter. Once elected, politicians do what they want, anyway. Last November, in one of the most consequential midterm elections in memory, just over half of eligible Delawareans went to the polls. And that was considered a good turnout because only 36 percent voted in November 2014. Even in the Presidential year of 2016, turnout was only 65 percent. That means that 35 percent of Delawareans didn't help choose their President. Far too many Delawareans are choosing not to exercise their right to vote -- to engage the public officials they send to Washington or Dover. That's why -- as we head back to Legislative Hall to begin the 150th General Assembly -- I'm encouraging members of both political parties to support common sense reforms to our election laws that will get more Delawareans involved in discussions about their own future. Put plainly, we should make it easier to cast a ballot. First, we should pass legislation allowing same-day voter registration. Delawareans should not be prevented from voting because they did not register in time. All of our citizens have a fundamental right to vote -- and allowing voters to register on Election Day is a sensible reform that could encourage more Delawareans to show up and vote. It's also important that we allow Delawareans more options about when to vote. Last year, Representative David Bentz introduced legislation that would have allowed early voting at polling places up to 10 days before Election Day. I urge legislators to send that legislation to my desk this session. More time to vote means fewer excuses to sit out an election. It also means reduced lines at polling places on Election Day. And early voting reduces the chance that bad weather or another unforeseen event will have an adverse effect on Election Day turnout. There is additional legislation we should take a hard look at -- reforms that would more seamlessly register voters at the Division of Motor Vehicles, move primary elections to coincide with presidential primary dates, and allow for no-excuse absentee voting. All three would make it easier for more Delawareans to participate. Legislators like Representative Bentz, former Senator Margaret Rose Henry, Representative John Viola, Representative Earl Jaques, Representative Stephanie T. Bolden, and others already have been champions on this issue -- and I look forward to working with all members of the General Assembly to make progress. Throughout our country's history, Americans have sacrificed to secure voting rights for women and African Americans. We have an obligation to build on that legacy by taking additional steps that will strengthen voter access for Delawareans and increase participation in our elections. This should not be a partisan issue. Democrats and Republicans have an interest in getting more Delawareans to the polls. Most importantly, we all have an interest in removing barriers to vote, and making sure all Delawareans are involved in our Democratic process. We live in a small state where it's common to run into your representatives at Wawa, in the grocery store, or your local Little League game. We should also make it easier to have your voice heard at the ballot box.

By Governor John Carney What makes a city great? Cities are centers of commerce, arts, sports and places where we can live together. Great cities have good schools and safe and strong neighborhoods where every child has an opportunity to be successful. But great cities are more than the sum of these parts. A city becomes great when its residents feel a collective sense of pride, satisfaction and gratitude for what they have built together. That's why I joined Mayor Mike Purzycki and the neighborhood and community leaders of Wilmington on September 28th for the launch of the Mayor's It's Time initiative. Wilmington is the hidden jewel of the Mid-Atlantic. We might not get the attention of our larger neighbors north and south along the Amtrak corridor, but that shouldn't stop us from celebrating what we know makes Wilmington such a special place. It's about time. It's time to recognize that Wilmington is home to at least 50 financial, chemical, pharmaceutical and technology-based companies. They employ thousands of people, many of whom moved here to advance their careers. It's time to recognize our strong neighborhoods and the tightknit communities they support -- from Southbridge to Hilltop to Forty Acres to the East Side to Triangle, where I live. It's time to spread the word that Wilmington has an entrepreneurial culture, great for young people who may not want to work for a large company but are starting businesses that sell services and products to those larger companies based here. From start-ups at The Mill to companies that have grown like Chemours and Incyte, Wilmington has the jobs of the new economy. No one wants a job in a place where the salaries don't keep up with the cost of living, or where the arts, recreational and eating and drinking scene is not vibrant. The best kept secret about Wilmington is that its salaries would be competitive even in our high-cost neighboring cities, but a dollar in Wilmington goes so much further. It's time we stop keeping it a secret. Compared to Wilmington, housing costs 131% more in Washington, DC; 34% more in Baltimore and 18% more in Philadelphia. Someone earning $70,000 a year in Wilmington could afford the same lifestyle of someone in Washington earning over $101,000. It's time to celebrate Wilmington's rich and diverse ethnic and cultural heritage. We have Latino immigrants, third and fourth generation Italian and Irish and Polish families, and a strong African American community. If you walk down Market Street today, or along the Riverfront, you'll see a bustling city. You see senior citizens taking their grandkids to the Delaware History Museum. You see millennials enjoying happy hour at Merchant Bar or Farmer and the Cow or Chelsea Tavern. You see people of all ages at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and cyclists from across the country at the Wilmington Grand Prix. You see kids playing in our neighborhood parks -- from Eden Park to Haynes Park to Judy Johnson Park to Prices Run to Canby Park. You see corporate lawyers and bankers at lunch at Tonic or eating from food trucks in Rodney Square. You see cyclists along the Markell Trail and runners along the Brandywine. You see families at the Hispanic Festival and Blue Rocks games and August Quarterly. You see students at the Delaware College of Art and Design and new residents at Market Street Village. By the end of the year, you'll see professional basketball games and recreational lacrosse at the 76ers Fieldhouse. Whether you're new to the city or have lived here all your life, there's no denying that Wilmington is alive, and that it's our time -- our moment. Our success is the result of neighborhood and community leaders, business representatives, and elected officials working together to ensure that every Wilmingtonian has the opportunity to succeed in the new economy. We have been making investments to improve quality of life for a diverse citizenry. We've sought assistance for homeless veterans in the city, supported new downtown residential and business development, pushed for the revival of the Queen, worked to restore Rodney Square, and helped attract the new UDairy Creamery and Stitch House Brewery. I am a proud Wilmington resident who is standing with my neighbors throughout the city to recognize that what we have in Wilmington is what other towns are trying to become. No city will ever be perfect, but the worst thing we can do is not believe we are as good as we are. It's time, Wilmington.