Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Delaware House of Representatives District 31 is represented by Sean Lynn (D).
As of the 2020 Census, Delaware state representatives represented an average of 24,167 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 21,973 residents.
About the office
Members of the Delaware House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits.[1] Delaware legislators assume office the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November (the day after election day).[2][3]
Qualifications
Article II, Section 3 of the Delaware Constitution states: "No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-four years, and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his or her election, and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Representative District in which he or she shall be chosen, unless he or she shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State."[4]
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[5] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $50,678/year | No per diem is paid. |
Vacancies
If there is a vacancy in the Delaware General Assembly, the presiding officer of the house in which the vacancy happens must call for a special election within 10 days of the creation of the vacancy. The election must be called for no less than 30 days but no more than 35 days after the writ for the special election has been issued. The governor may issue a writ if the legislature is not in session.[6]
See sources: Delaware Code Ann. tit. 15, § 7101
2016 pivot county
This district was one of 710 state legislative districts that, based on boundaries adopted after the 2010 census, intersected with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.
The 206 Pivot Counties were located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. At that time, the partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties was slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.[7]
District map
Redistricting
2020 redistricting cycle
On November 2, 2021, Gov. John Carney (D) signed Senate Bill 199 into law, enacting the state's new House and Senate district lines.[8] The Delaware General Assembly previously approved the final House and Senate map proposals on November 1, 2021.[9] The Delaware House of Representatives voted 40-1 in favor of the maps with state Rep. Michael Smith (R) voting against it. The Delaware State Senate approved the maps along party lines with all 14 Democrats in favor and all seven Republicans against.[9] These maps took effect for Delaware's 2022 legislative elections.
How does redistricting in Delaware work? Because Delaware has only one congressional district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. The state legislature draws state legislative district lines. The governor may veto the lines drawn by the state legislature.[10][11]
State law requires that state legislative districts be "insofar as possible, contiguous and bounded by roads, streams and other natural boundaries." Further, state law stipulates that district lines "may not be drawn to unduly favor any person or political party." Because these requirements are statutory, the legislature may amend them at its discretion.[10][11]
Delaware House of Representatives District 31
until November 8, 2022
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Delaware House of Representatives District 31
starting November 9, 2022
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Elections
2024
See also: Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Sean Lynn won election in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sean Lynn (D) | 100.0 | 7,109 |
| Total votes: 7,109 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Sean Lynn advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31.
2022
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Sean Lynn defeated Jason Stewart in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sean Lynn (D) | 65.5 | 3,689 |
| Jason Stewart (R) | 34.5 | 1,942 | ||
| Total votes: 5,631 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Sean Lynn advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31.
Republican primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Richard Harpster (R)
2020
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Sean Lynn defeated Richard Harpster in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sean Lynn (D) | 69.2 | 6,889 |
 | Richard Harpster (R) | 30.8 | 3,065 | |
| Total votes: 9,954 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Sean Lynn advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Richard Harpster advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31.
2018
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Sean Lynn defeated David Anderson in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sean Lynn (D) | 65.5 | 4,675 |
| David Anderson (R) | 34.5 | 2,464 | ||
| Total votes: 7,139 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Sean Lynn defeated Ralph Taylor in the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sean Lynn | 62.3 | 1,225 |
 | Ralph Taylor | 37.7 | 740 | |
| Total votes: 1,965 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31
David Anderson defeated M. Jean Dowding in the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | David Anderson | 72.2 | 611 | |
| M. Jean Dowding | 27.8 | 235 | ||
| Total votes: 846 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Delaware House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was July 12, 2016.
Incumbent Sean M. Lynn defeated M. Jean Dowding in the Delaware House of Representatives District 31 general election.[12][13]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 31 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Sean M. Lynn Incumbent |
66.56% | 5,765 | |
| Republican | M. Jean Dowding | 33.44% | 2,897 | |
| Total Votes | 8,662 | |||
| Source: Delaware Department of Elections | ||||
Incumbent Sean M. Lynn ran unopposed in the Delaware House of Representatives District 31 Democratic primary.[14][15][12]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 31 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Sean M. Lynn Incumbent (unopposed) | |
M. Jean Dowding ran unopposed in the Delaware House of Representatives District 31 Republican primary.[14][15][12]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 31 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | M. Jean Dowding (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Delaware House of Representatives 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. Sean M. Lynn defeated Ralph Leroy Taylor, Jr. in the Democratic primary, while Samuel G. Chick was unopposed in the Republican primary. Lynn defeated Chick in the general election.[16][17][18][19]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sean M. Lynn |
53.3% | 2,609 | |
| Republican | Samuel G. Chick | 46.7% | 2,286 | |
| Total Votes | 4,895 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Sean M. Lynn |
60.7% | 482 |
| Ralph Leroy Taylor, Jr. | 39.3% | 312 |
| Total Votes | 794 | |
2012
Elections for the office of Delaware House of Representatives 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. Incumbent Darryl Scott (D) defeated Samuel Chick (R) in the general election. Both candidates ran unopposed in the February 7 primary elections.[20] [21]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Darryl Scott Incumbent |
62.6% | 5,231 | |
| Republican | Samuel Chick | 37.4% | 3,121 | |
| Total Votes | 8,352 | |||
Campaign contributions
From 2000 to 2024, candidates for Delaware House of Representatives District 31 raised a total of $705,359. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $26,124 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money
| Campaign contributions, Delaware House of Representatives District 31 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
| 2024 | $7,767 | 1 | $7,767 |
| 2022 | $24,950 | 2 | $12,475 |
| 2020 | $30,591 | 2 | $15,295 |
| 2018 | $102,472 | 4 | $25,618 |
| 2016 | $48,974 | 2 | $24,487 |
| 2014 | $75,850 | 3 | $25,283 |
| 2012 | $53,311 | 2 | $26,656 |
| 2010 | $106,287 | 3 | $35,429 |
| 2008 | $93,440 | 2 | $46,720 |
| 2006 | $51,755 | 2 | $25,878 |
| 2004 | $24,221 | 1 | $24,221 |
| 2002 | $62,682 | 2 | $31,341 |
| 2000 | $23,060 | 1 | $23,060 |
| Total | $705,359 | 27 | $26,124 |
See also
- Delaware State Legislature
- Delaware State Senate
- Delaware House of Representatives
- Delaware state legislative districts
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly," "Delaware House of Representatives," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Delaware Constitution, "Article II, Section 3," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Constitution, "Article II, Section 4," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ The Delaware Code Online, "Article II. Legislature - Section 3," accessed May 21, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Legislature, "Delaware Election Code," accessed May 22, 2014 (Statutes § 7101 and § 7104, Delaware Code)
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly, "Senate Bill 199," accessed Nov. 15, 2021
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 WGMD, "Redistricting Legislation Passes in Delaware – Waiting for Governor’s Signature," Nov. 1, 2021
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 All About Redistricting, "Delaware," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Delaware Code, "Title 29, Chapter 8," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Delaware.gov, "General election candidates," accessed September 27, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "glist16" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "glist16" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "General Election (Official Results)," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Delaware.gov, "Primary election candidates," accessed July 13, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Delaware Department of Elections, Primary Election (Official Returns)," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed July 10, 2014
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official general election candidate list," accessed July 10, 2014
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official primary election results," accessed September 17, 2014
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official general election results," accessed November 13, 2014
- ↑ Delaware Secretary of State, "2012 General Election," November 4, 2013
- ↑ Delaware Secretary of State, "2012 General Primary,” November 4, 2013
