Laura Sturgeon
2018 - Present
2028
6
Laura Sturgeon (Democratic Party) is a member of the Delaware State Senate, representing District 4. She assumed office on November 7, 2018. Her current term ends on November 7, 2028.
Sturgeon (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Delaware State Senate to represent District 4. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Sturgeon earned a B.A. from the University of Delaware in 1988 and an M.A. from the University of Delaware in 1994. She is also certified to teach English literature and Spanish. Her professional experience includes working as a high school English and Spanish teacher.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Sturgeon was assigned to the following committees:
- Corrections and Public Safety Committee
- Senate Education Committee, Chair
- Environment, Energy, and Transportation Committee
- Finance Committee
- Health & Social Services Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
2021-2022
Sturgeon was assigned to the following committees:
- Banking, Business, and Insurance Committee
- Senate Education Committee, Chair
- Environment, Energy, and Transportation Committee
- Finance Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
2019-2020
Sturgeon was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Finance Committee
- Senate Education Committee, Chair
- Finance Committee
- Transportation Committee (Decommissioned), Vice-Chair
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Delaware State Senate District 4
Incumbent Laura Sturgeon won election in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 4 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Laura Sturgeon (D) | 100.0 | 18,984 |
| Total votes: 18,984 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Laura Sturgeon advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 4.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Sturgeon in this election.
2022
See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Delaware State Senate District 4
Incumbent Laura Sturgeon defeated Ted Kittila in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 4 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Laura Sturgeon (D) | 56.6 | 10,762 |
 | Ted Kittila (R) | 43.4 | 8,259 | |
| Total votes: 19,021 | |||
| = 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 Laura Sturgeon advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 4.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Ted Kittila advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 4.
2018
- See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Delaware State Senate District 4
Laura Sturgeon defeated incumbent Gregory Lavelle 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) | |||
| = 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 State Senate District 4
Laura Sturgeon advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 4 on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Laura Sturgeon |
| ||||
| = 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 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 |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Laura Sturgeon did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Laura Sturgeon did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Laura Sturgeon completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sturgeon's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Fully funding and Improving Public Education Reducing the cost of healthcare while expanding access to mental health services and addiction treatment Expanding opportunities for post-secondary training and education
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about education because it is my field of expertise. After 24 years in the classroom as a High School teacher, I know what is required to make our public schools work for ALL students, from the most privileged to those facing the difficult challenges personally and academically.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Responsiveness to the needs and interests of the community An open mind and willingness to listen to many different perspectives Sound judgment and discernment
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have the ability to
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
Watergate and Nixon's resignation
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
Summer job as a cashier the local swimming pool snack bar
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Thanksgiving
What is your favorite book? Why?
I have a Master's degree in English Literature. I have about 100 favorite books, among them are: Bleak House by Charles Dickens The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Mansfield Park by Jane Austen The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer Freedom by Jonathan Franz Villette by Charlotte Bronte Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Non-Fiction: After Shock, Robert Reich Bright-Sided, Barbara Ehrenreich The Undertaking, Thomas Lynch
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Shallow from A Star is Born
What process do you favor for redistricting?
Independent Redistricting Committee
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Delaware scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 9 to June 30.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 10 to June 30. |
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 11 to June 30.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 12 to June 30.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 30. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 8 through June 30.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Delaware State Senate District 4 |
Officeholder Delaware State Senate District 4 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on November 14, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Delaware State Senate District 4 2018-Present |
Succeeded by - |
