Delaware Attorney General election, 2018 (September 6 Democratic primary)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID requested
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2022 →
← 2014
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Delaware Attorney General |
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Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: July 10, 2018 |
Primary: September 6, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent(s): Matthew Denn (Democrat) |
How to vote |
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Delaware |
Ballotpedia analysis |
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
Delaware executive elections |
Attorney general |
A Democratic Party primary election took place on September 11, 2018, in Delaware to determine which candidate would run as the party's nominee in the state's November 6, 2018, attorney general election.
For more information about attorney general elections in 2018, click here.
SETTING THE STAGE | |
Candidates and election results
Kathy Jennings defeated LaKresha Roberts, Chris Johnson, and Tim Mullaney in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Delaware on September 6, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Delaware
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Kathy Jennings | 56.6 | 46,038 |
LaKresha Roberts | 21.6 | 17,584 | ||
Chris Johnson | 15.0 | 12,195 | ||
Tim Mullaney | 6.8 | 5,513 |
Total votes: 81,330 | ||||
![]() | ||||
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Context of the 2018 election
Past elections
2014
- See also: Delaware attorney general election, 2014
Matthew Denn was unopposed in the 2014 Democratic primary election.[1]
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Delaware utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Delaware, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[5]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Delaware, an individual must meet the following requirements:[6]
- The individual must be a United States citizen.
- The individual must be a resident of Delaware.
- The individual must be 18 years of age by Election Day.
- The individual must be mentally competent.
- The individual must not be under a felony sentence or convicted of a disqualifying felony.
According to the Delaware Department of Elections, "The voter registration deadline is the 4th Saturday before a Primary and General Election. Voter registration applications submitted via the voter portal, ivote.de.gov, by the deadline, or received by mail by the Department and postmarked by the deadline, will be considered to be submitted by the deadline."[7]
Automatic registration
Delaware practices automatic voter registration through Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations and website. Individuals that complete an in-person or online application for a drivers license, learners permit, or identification card, or completes an in-person or online application to change their name or address on these documents, are atumatically registerd to vote. An individual whose eligibility and citizenship status have been confirmed by the DMV is also automatically registered.[8][9]
According to the Department of Election's website, voters that are automatically registered are mailed a "“Notice of Automatic Voter Registration”, which includes a “Response to Automatic Voter Registration” form. AVR voters may use the form to update their voter registration, choose a party affiliation, or cancel their voter registration."[9]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Delaware has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Delaware does not allow same-day voter registration.[10]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Delaware, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Delaware does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "if you register to vote even though you know you are not eligible, you can be fined between $50.00 - $200.00 or imprisoned for 30 days to two years, or both."[11]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[12] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The state's voter portal allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Delaware requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting.[13][14]
As of July 2024, the state website said:[13]
“ |
When arriving at a polling place, a poll worker will ask you for proof of identity. A photo ID is not required. Examples of acceptable IDs:
When arriving at an Early Voting Site, a poll worker will ask you for proof of identity. A photo ID is not required. Permitted forms of identification include current:
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” |
Voters who do not present proof of identity can "sign an affidavit of affirmation that the voter is the person listed on the election district record," according to Delaware Code.[14]
Early voting
Delaware permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
On June 28, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a ruling from the Delaware Superior Court and reinstated early voting in the state. In a 5-0 decision, the court ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove that they would be harmed by laws permitting early voting, and therefore had no standing to sue. The decision, therefore, did not rule on the lower court's determination that early voting was prohibited by the Delaware Constitution.[16] The court agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis to provide clarity to voters and election administrators before the November election.[17] To read more about this case, see here.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
The deadline for eligible voters to request an absentee/mail-in ballot is no later than four days before an election.[18]
According to the state's absentee/mail-in ballot application, an individual is eligible for any of the following reasons:[19]
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Uniformed and Overseas Citzens Absentee Voting Act to vote by absentee ballot.
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” |
Certain of these voters are eligible for a permanent absentee/mail-in voting status and may request to be added to the permanent list on their ballot application.[19]
On October 7, 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a state law allowing any registered voter to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot.[20]
On eligibility, Article V, Section 4A, of the Delaware Constitution reads:[21][22]
“ | The General Assembly shall enact general laws providing that any qualified elector of this State, duly registered, who shall be unable to appear to cast his or her ballot at any general election at the regular polling place of the election district in which he or she is registered, either because of being in the public service of the United States or of this State, or his or her spouse or dependents when residing with or accompanying him or her because of the nature of his or her business or occupation, because of his or her sickness or physical disability, because of his or her absence from the district while on vacation, or because of the tenets or teachings of his or her religion, may cast a ballot at such general election to be counted in such election district.[15] | ” |
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Delaware heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in Delaware.
- Democrats held the only U.S. House seat in Delaware.
State executives
- As of September 2018, Democrats held 5 of 12 state executive positions, Republicans held two, and the remaining positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of Delaware was Democrat John Carney Jr. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 3, 2020.
State legislature
- Democrats controlled both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly. They had a 25-16 majority in the state House and a 11-10 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Delaware was a Democratic trifecta, meaning that the Democratic Party controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.
2018 elections
- See also: Delaware elections, 2018
Delaware held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- One U.S. House seat
- Three lower state executive positions
- Ten of 21 state Senate seats
- 41 state House seats
Demographics
Demographic data for Delaware | ||
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Delaware | U.S. | |
Total population: | 944,076 | 316,515,021 |
Land area (sq mi): | 1,949 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White: | 69.4% | 73.6% |
Black/African American: | 21.6% | 12.6% |
Asian: | 3.6% | 5.1% |
Native American: | 0.3% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
Two or more: | 2.7% | 3% |
Hispanic/Latino: | 8.7% | 17.1% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate: | 88.4% | 86.7% |
College graduation rate: | 30% | 29.8% |
Income | ||
Median household income: | $60,509 | $53,889 |
Persons below poverty level: | 13.9% | 11.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Delaware. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
As of July 2016, Delaware's three largest cities were Wilmington (pop. est. 71,106), Dover (pop. est. 37,538), and Newark (pop. est. 33,858).[23][24]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Delaware from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Delaware State Department of Elections.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Delaware every year from 2000 to 2016.
Election results (President of the United States), Delaware 2000-2016 | |||||
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Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2016 | ![]() |
53.4% | ![]() |
41.9% | 11.5% |
2012 | ![]() |
58.6% | ![]() |
40.0% | 18.6% |
2008 | ![]() |
61.9% | ![]() |
36.9% | 25.0% |
2004 | ![]() |
53.4% | ![]() |
45.7% | 7.7% |
2000 | ![]() |
54.9% | ![]() |
41.9% | 13.0% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Delaware from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
Election results (U.S. Senator), Delaware 2000-2016 | |||||
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Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2014 | ![]() |
55.8% | ![]() |
42.2% | 13.6% |
2012 | ![]() |
66.4% | ![]() |
29.0% | 37.4% |
2010 | ![]() |
56.6% | ![]() |
40.0% | 16.6% |
2008 | ![]() |
64.7% | ![]() |
35.3% | 29.4% |
2006 | ![]() |
67.1% | ![]() |
27.4% | 39.7% |
2002 | ![]() |
58.2% | ![]() |
40.8% | 17.4% |
2000 | ![]() |
55.5% | ![]() |
43.7% | 11.8% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Delaware.
Election results (Governor), Delaware 2000-2016 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2016 | ![]() |
58.3% | ![]() |
39.2% | 19.9% |
2012 | ![]() |
69.3% | ![]() |
28.6% | 40.7% |
2008 | ![]() |
67.5% | ![]() |
32.0% | 35.5% |
2004 | ![]() |
50.9% | ![]() |
45.8% | 5.1% |
2000 | ![]() |
59.2% | ![]() |
39.7% | 19.5% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Delaware in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Delaware Party Control: 1992-2025
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
One of three Delaware counties—33.33 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
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County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
Kent County, Delaware | 4.87% | 4.94% | 9.81% |
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Delaware with 53.4 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 41.9 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Delaware voted Republican 53.33 percent of the time and Democratic 46.67 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Delaware voted Democratic all five times.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Delaware. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[25][26]
In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 28 out of 41 state House districts in Delaware with an average margin of victory of 35.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 27 out of 41 state House districts in Delaware with an average margin of victory of 31.7 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 13 out of 41 state House districts in Delaware with an average margin of victory of 12.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 14 out of 41 state House districts in Delaware with an average margin of victory of 22.3 points. Trump won one district controlled by a Democrat heading into the 2018 elections. |
2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
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District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
1 | 90.63% | 8.63% | D+82 | 87.34% | 9.62% | D+77.7 | D |
2 | 92.21% | 7.06% | D+85.1 | 88.72% | 8.32% | D+80.4 | D |
3 | 88.46% | 10.52% | D+77.9 | 84.86% | 12.35% | D+72.5 | D |
4 | 59.01% | 39.33% | D+19.7 | 62.94% | 31.39% | D+31.6 | D |
5 | 83.11% | 15.90% | D+67.2 | 78.51% | 18.23% | D+60.3 | D |
6 | 60.77% | 37.50% | D+23.3 | 60.56% | 34.04% | D+26.5 | D |
7 | 64.21% | 34.08% | D+30.1 | 61.76% | 32.89% | D+28.9 | D |
8 | 60.00% | 38.72% | D+21.3 | 54.75% | 40.34% | D+14.4 | D |
9 | 51.62% | 47.03% | D+4.6 | 46.45% | 48.21% | R+1.8 | R |
10 | 60.49% | 37.91% | D+22.6 | 58.39% | 36.45% | D+21.9 | D |
11 | 44.38% | 53.62% | R+9.2 | 34.07% | 60.29% | R+26.2 | R |
12 | 48.50% | 50.01% | R+1.5 | 53.04% | 41.44% | D+11.6 | R |
13 | 69.88% | 28.51% | D+41.4 | 59.74% | 34.95% | D+24.8 | D |
14 | 50.16% | 48.86% | D+1.3 | 50.08% | 46.81% | D+3.3 | D |
15 | 66.88% | 31.72% | D+35.2 | 61.89% | 33.61% | D+28.3 | D |
16 | 86.44% | 12.71% | D+73.7 | 79.69% | 17.08% | D+62.6 | D |
17 | 75.35% | 23.44% | D+51.9 | 67.45% | 28.15% | D+39.3 | D |
18 | 73.77% | 24.71% | D+49.1 | 66.80% | 28.17% | D+38.6 | D |
19 | 63.86% | 34.20% | D+29.7 | 54.36% | 40.20% | D+14.2 | D |
20 | 46.68% | 52.12% | R+5.4 | 42.84% | 52.98% | R+10.1 | R |
21 | 58.87% | 39.52% | D+19.3 | 53.84% | 40.20% | D+13.6 | R |
22 | 50.65% | 47.97% | D+2.7 | 51.53% | 43.26% | D+8.3 | R |
23 | 59.53% | 38.25% | D+21.3 | 59.93% | 33.33% | D+26.6 | D |
24 | 67.87% | 30.39% | D+37.5 | 59.76% | 34.09% | D+25.7 | D |
25 | 63.13% | 34.55% | D+28.6 | 59.44% | 34.18% | D+25.3 | D |
26 | 73.18% | 25.66% | D+47.5 | 67.83% | 27.17% | D+40.7 | D |
27 | 61.16% | 37.36% | D+23.8 | 56.68% | 38.07% | D+18.6 | D |
28 | 61.47% | 37.05% | D+24.4 | 52.86% | 42.09% | D+10.8 | D |
29 | 52.73% | 46.05% | D+6.7 | 47.38% | 48.10% | R+0.7 | D |
30 | 38.81% | 59.30% | R+20.5 | 28.57% | 66.67% | R+38.1 | R |
31 | 63.67% | 35.03% | D+28.6 | 61.48% | 32.66% | D+28.8 | D |
32 | 63.41% | 35.03% | D+28.4 | 57.28% | 36.72% | D+20.6 | D |
33 | 45.67% | 53.08% | R+7.4 | 37.57% | 57.12% | R+19.5 | R |
34 | 46.85% | 51.75% | R+4.9 | 42.61% | 51.87% | R+9.3 | R |
35 | 39.90% | 58.62% | R+18.7 | 32.25% | 64.32% | R+32.1 | R |
36 | 43.06% | 55.73% | R+12.7 | 36.10% | 59.53% | R+23.4 | R |
37 | 46.44% | 52.42% | R+6 | 37.67% | 59.00% | R+21.3 | R |
38 | 36.85% | 62.07% | R+25.2 | 32.78% | 64.18% | R+31.4 | R |
39 | 41.34% | 57.27% | R+15.9 | 34.48% | 61.33% | R+26.9 | R |
40 | 37.36% | 61.31% | R+23.9 | 26.76% | 69.12% | R+42.4 | R |
41 | 42.12% | 56.63% | R+14.5 | 33.75% | 62.59% | R+28.8 | R |
Total | 58.61% | 39.98% | D+18.6 | 53.35% | 41.92% | D+11.4 | - |
Source: Daily Kos |
See also
Delaware government: |
Elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Primary Election Official Results - 2014," accessed September 29, 2017
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Primary Election," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "TITLE 15 Elections, CHAPTER 49. Conduct of Election § 3110 Qualifications of voters," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Code, "Title 15, Chapter 49, Section 4947," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Office of the State Election Commissioner , "Qualifications," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "Voter Registration," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Automatic Voter Registration at DMV," June 20, 2023
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Automatic Voter Registration FAQs," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ AP, "Delaware justices nix vote-by-mail, same-day registration," October 7, 2022
- ↑ Delaware Elections, "State of Delaware All-In-One Form to Register to Vote or Update Your Information," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Delaware.gov, "Voting in Delaware," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Delaware Code, "Title 15, Chapter 49 Conduct of Elections § 4937 Voting procedure," accessed July 22, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name "dvid" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ WHYY, "Delaware Supreme Court restores access to early voting, permanent absentee voting," February 23, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "In unanimous ruling, Court sides with Jennings on voting rights," June 28, 2024
- ↑ State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 State of Delaware Department of Elections, "Request for an Absentee Ballot for Primary, General and/or Special Elections," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Online, "Delaware Supreme Court finds vote by mail, same-day registration unconstitutional," October 7, 2022
- ↑ Delaware Code Online, "Article V. Elections." accessed April 6, 2023
- ↑ Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, "Higgin v. Albence: Memorandum Opinion," September 14, 2022
- ↑ Delaware Demographics, "Delaware Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Delaware," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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