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Melanie Ross Levin

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Melanie Ross Levin
Image of Melanie Ross Levin
Delaware House of Representatives District 10
Tenure

2024 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

0

Predecessor

Compensation

Base salary

$50,678/year

Per diem

$No per diem is paid.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Red Bank High School

Bachelor's

University of Delaware, 2003

Graduate

University of Delaware, 2005

Personal
Birthplace
Red Bank, N.J.
Religion
Jewish
Profession
Advocacy
Contact

Melanie Ross Levin (Democratic Party) is a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing District 10. She assumed office on November 6, 2024. Her current term ends on November 3, 2026.

Ross Levin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Delaware House of Representatives to represent District 10. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Ross Levin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Melanie Ross Levin was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. She earned a high school diploma from Red Bank High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware in 2003, and a graduate degree from the University of Delaware in 2005. Her career experience includes working in Title IX advocacy.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 10

Melanie Ross Levin defeated Brent Burdge in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 10 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Melanie Ross Levin
Melanie Ross Levin (D) Candidate Connection
 
60.4
 
7,953
Image of Brent Burdge
Brent Burdge (R) Candidate Connection
 
39.6
 
5,208

Total votes: 13,161
Candidate Connection = 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

Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 10

Melanie Ross Levin defeated Dennis E. Williams and Stephen Jankovic in the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 10 on September 10, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Melanie Ross Levin
Melanie Ross Levin Candidate Connection
 
68.5
 
1,839
Image of Dennis E. Williams
Dennis E. Williams
 
24.2
 
650
Stephen Jankovic Candidate Connection
 
7.3
 
197

Total votes: 2,686
Candidate Connection = 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

The Republican primary election was canceled. Brent Burdge advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 10.

Endorsements

To view Ross Levin's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ross Levin in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Melanie Ross Levin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ross Levin's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I have spent her career working on behalf of low-income women and children. For the past 7 years I. have served as the Director of the state's Women's Office. As the Director, I have contributed significantly to groundbreaking wins across Delaware, including the passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave, the best paid parental leave benefit for state workers in the country; increasing the minimum wage; the first ban on child marriage in the United States; the Equal Rights Amendment; expanding Medicaid coverage to pregnant women and protecting pregnant workers. I previously served as the Director of Engagement and Mobilization at the National Women's Law Center. In this capacity I led advocacy campaigns to protect Social Security, advance pay equity, protect Title IX athletics and expand early childhood education. Earlier in my career I worked for Senator Carper, Planned Parenthood of Delaware and as a Fellow in the Delaware General Assembly.
  • Delaware faces significant challenges in healthcare access, including a lack of affordable, high-quality care, a shortage of doctors, and rising healthcare costs that strain family budgets. To address these issues, I propose expanding Medicaid and state-funded healthcare programs to cover more people, reducing the number of uninsured individuals and making healthcare more affordable for low- and middle-income families. Additionally, we need to incentivize medical professionals to practice in underserved areas through loan forgiveness, competitive salaries, and improved working conditions. Implementing cost-control measures like price transparency and promoting preventative care is also essential.
  • As a product of public schools, I understand the crucial role they play in building a strong future for Delawareans. As a State Representative, I will prioritize improving teacher recruitment and retention by offering competitive salaries, professional development opportunities, and a supportive working environment to attract and keep talented educators. Enhancing student supports is another critical area. Increasing the number of paraprofessionals, school counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals will provide students with the emotional and psychological support they need. Addressing nonacademic factors like mental health and food insecurity is vital for creating a conducive learning environment.
  • Growing up, my parents owned a bagel shop and did private catering. I witnessed firsthand the challenges small businesses face in navigating state bureaucracy to stay afloat and compete. These early experiences have given me a deep understanding of the struggles small business owners endure. As a State Representative, I will be a dedicated advocate for small businesses, working tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard. My goal is to collaborate closely with state agencies to streamline processes and cut through the red tape that often hinders their success. By reducing bureaucratic obstacles, we can create a more supportive environment for small businesses, enabling them to thrive and contribute to our local economy.
Throughout my career, I have been steadfast in my commitment to reproductive rights, working diligently at organizations such as Planned Parenthood of Delaware, the National Women’s Law Center, and the Delaware Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy. These experiences have solidified my belief in the importance of safeguarding the confidential and private relationship between patients and their physicians. As a State Representative, I will persist in this fight, advocating tirelessly for comprehensive coverage of all reproductive healthcare needs, including abortion, IVF, and birth control.
An effective elected official must embody accessibility, transparency, and accountability. I believe that being accessible means not just being available, but also actively engaging with constituents, listening to their concerns, and making it easy for them to connect with me. Transparency is essential in building trust—decisions should be made in the open, with clear communication about the reasoning behind them.

Showing up regularly, whether at community events, meetings, or even one-on-one conversations, demonstrates a commitment to the people I represent. It's not just about being present; it's about being involved and informed.

Good follow-through is another critical principle. When promises are made or issues are raised, it's crucial to see them through to completion. This means doing my homework—delving into the details, consulting with those closest to the issues, and conducting thorough research before making decisions. It's not enough to simply take action; I must take informed, thoughtful action that reflects the needs and desires of the community.
Growing up, my parents owned a bagel shop and did private catering. So my first job was helping them with catering jobs or helping out at the bagel shop. This "job" lasted for many decades - until my parents sold the shop. Throughout high school and college I would get put to work if my parents has a particularly big catering job. By being involved in my parent's business I witnessed firsthand the challenges small businesses face in navigating state bureaucracy to stay afloat and compete. These early experiences have given me a deep understanding of the struggles small business owners endure.
Organizational Support as of 8/9/2024: DSEA (Delaware State Education Association), Delaware Stonewall PAC (Delaware's Voice for the LGBT Community), Moms Demand Action - Gun Sense Candidate and DelDems Pride Caucus

For a full list of organizational endorsements, go here:
https://www.melaniefordelaware.com/endorsements

Individual Support as of 8/9/2024: House Speaker Valerie Longhurst, Rep. Deborah Heffernan, Rep. Kim Williams, Rep. Rep. Paul Baumbach, Sen. Nicole Poore, Sen. Laura Sturgeon, Sen. Stephanie Hansen

For a full list of individual endorsements, go here:

https://www.melaniefordelaware.com/endorsements
Education, Health and Human Development, Labor, Appropriations
Financial transparency and government accountability are the bedrock of a healthy democracy. In Delaware, too much remains hidden from public view, and this lack of openness undermines trust and prevents citizens from holding their government accountable. It’s crucial that we shine a light on all aspects of government operations, ensuring that decisions, expenditures, and processes are accessible and understandable to the public.

Transparency is not just a buzzword; it's a commitment to keeping the trust of the community. By being fiscally transparent, we can demonstrate that taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and efficiently. This transparency is essential for fostering trust and ensuring that every dollar spent serves the public good.

Accountability goes hand in hand with transparency. When information is made available, it allows for informed oversight and encourages responsible governance. It's vital that all government actions can be scrutinized by the public, ensuring that officials are held to the highest standards. In doing so, we can strengthen our democracy and create a government that truly serves the people.

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.


Melanie Ross Levin campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Delaware House of Representatives District 10Won general$100,503 $90,949
Grand total$100,503 $90,949
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Delaware

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.

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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.












See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 10, 2024

Political offices
Preceded by
Sean Matthews (D)
Delaware House of Representatives District 10
2024-Present
Succeeded by
-


Current members of the Delaware House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Melissa Minor-Brown
Majority Leader:Kerri Harris
Minority Leader:Timothy Dukes
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Sean Lynn (D)
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Democratic Party (27)
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