131st Delaware General Assembly

The 131st Delaware General Assembly was a meeting of the legislative branch of the state government, consisting of the Delaware Senate and the Delaware House of Representatives. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms began in Dover on the first Tuesday in January. This date was January 6, 1981, which was two weeks before the beginning of the fifth administrative year of Republican Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV from New Castle County and the first year for Republican Lieutenant Governor Michael N. Castle, also from New Castle County.

Governor
Pierre S. du Pont, IV
131st General Assembly
In office
January 6, 1981 – January 4, 1983
Preceded by130th Assembly
Succeeded by132nd Assembly

Currently the distribution of seats for both houses was based on the interpretation of the federal 1970 census. It resulted in a large numbers of membership numbers in the New Castle County area and ruling that the election districts would abandonment of county lines for their boundaries, but would design whatever district boundaries that would accomplish such population equals.

In the 131st Delaware General Assembly session the Senate had a Democratic majority and the House had a Republican majority.

Leadership edit

Senate
House of Representatives

Members edit

Senate edit

About half the State Senators were elected every two years for a four-year term, except the decade district redesign year, when all served two years. They were designed for equal populations from all districts and its accomplishment occasionally included some territory from two counties.

New Castle County
  • 1. Harris B. McDowell, III
  • 2. Herman M. Holloway, Sr.
  • 3. Robert I. Marshall
  • 4. Robert J. Berndt
  • 5. Charles E. Hughes
  • 6. Myrna L. Bair
  • 7. Andrew G. Knox
  • 8. John H. Arnold
New Castle County
  • 9. Thomas B. Sharp
  • 10. James P. Neal
  • 11. Angelo T. Citro
  • 12. Robert T. Connor
  • 13. David B. McBride
  • 14. Roger A. Martin
  • 15. James T. Vaughn
Kent County
  • 16. Nancy W. Cook
  • 17. Jacob W. Zimmerman
  • 18. William M. Murphy, Jr.
    • William C. Torbert
Sussex County

House of Representatives edit

All the State Representatives were elected every two years for a two-year term. They were designed for equal populations from all districts and its accomplishment occasionally included some territory from two counties.

New Castle County
  • 1. Orlando J. George, Jr.
  • 2. Al O. Plant, Sr.
  • 3. Herman M. Holloway, Jr.
  • 4. Kevin Free
  • 5. Casimir S. Jonkiert
  • 6. Thomas E. Brady, Jr.
  • 7. David H. Ennis
  • 8. James F. Edwards
  • 9. Charles L. Hebner, Sr.
  • 10. Gwynne P. Smith
  • 11. Richard Sincock
  • 12. Jane P. Maroney
  • 13. John P. McKay
  • 14. Philip J. Corrozi
  • 15. John A. Campanelli
New Castle County
  • 16. Donald Van Sciver
  • 17. Rodney Dixon
  • 18. Richard Cathcart
  • 19. Jeffrey G. Mack
  • 20. Terry R. Spence
  • 21. Robert F. Gilligan
  • 22. Roger P. Roy
  • 23. Robert S. Powell
  • 24. William A. Oberle, Jr.
  • 25. Ada Leigh Soles
  • 26. Marian P. Anderson
  • 27. Joseph R. Petrilli
  • 28. Gerald S. Cain
  • 29. Katherine M. Jester
Kent County
  • 30. Robert W. Riddagh
  • 31. Michael J. Harrington, Jr.
  • 32. Edward J. Bennett
  • 33. Ruth Ann Minner
  • 34. Gerald A. Buckworth
  • 35. Robert L. Darling
Sussex County
  • 36. John M. Burris
  • 37. Harry E. Derrickson
  • 38. B. Bradford Barnes
  • 39. Evelyn K. Fallon
  • 40. Carroll B. Cordrey
  • 41. Charles P. West

References edit

  • 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.

Places with more information edit