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Delaware, State Senate, District 4

Delaware State Senate District 4
Current incumbentLaura Sturgeon Democratic Party

Delaware’s fourth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Laura Sturgeon.

Delaware state senators represent an average of 42,759 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 37,314 residents.

About the office

Members of the Delaware State Senate serve both two- and four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Delaware legislators assume office the day after their election.

Qualifications

Article II, Section 3 of the Delaware Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-seven years and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his election and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Senatorial District in which he shall be chosen, unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$45,291/yearNo per diem is paid.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Senate President must call for a special election. The election must be called for no later than 30 days after the vacancy happened. The Governor may make the declaration if the Senate is not in session. The date of the election must be set no later than 10 days after a declaration was made.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Delaware State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for September 15, 2020. The filing deadline is July 14, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Delaware State Senate District 4

Laura Sturgeon (D) defeated incumbent Gregory Lavelle (R) in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 4 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Laura Sturgeon (D)
53.1
11,251

Gregory Lavelle (R)
46.9
9,924

Total votes: 21,175
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 4

Laura Sturgeon advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 4 on September 6, 2018.

Candidate

Laura Sturgeon (D)

Republican primary election
Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 4

Incumbent Gregory Lavelle advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 4 on September 6, 2018.

Candidate

Gregory Lavelle (R)

2014

Elections for the Delaware State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 8, 2014. Sarah L. Buttner was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Gregory F. Lavelle was unopposed in the Republican primary. Lavelle defeated Buttner in the general election.

Delaware State Senate, District 4, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGregory F. Lavelle Incumbent 61.9% 8,983
Democratic Sarah L. Buttner 38.1% 5,521
Total Votes 14,504

2012

Elections for the office of Delaware State Senate consisted of a primary election on February 11, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 6, 2012. Gregory Lavelle (R) defeated incumbent Michael Katz (D) and Marcia Groff (L) in the general election. Both candidates ran unopposed in the February 7 primary elections.

Delaware State Senate, District 4, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGregory Lavelle 50.8% 11,970
Democratic Michael Katz Incumbent 47.5% 11,188
Libertarian Marcia Groff 1.7% 410
Total Votes 23,568

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Delaware State Senate District 4 raised a total of $1,257,316. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $89,808 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Delaware State Senate District 4

Year Amount Candidates Average
2014 $174,087 2 $87,044
2012 $400,076 3 $133,359
2008 $451,223 5 $90,245
2004 $71,201 1 $71,201
2002 $160,729 3 $53,576
Total $1,257,316 14 $89,808