Delaware's 1st Senate district

Delaware's 1st State Senate district
Senator	Vacant
Registration	59.6%  Democratic 18.7%  Republican 21.7%  No party preference
Demographics	64%  White 26%  Black 4%  Hispanic 4%  Asian 2% Other
Population (2018)	44,876 [1]
Registered voters	33,915 [2]

Delaware's 1st Senate district is one of 21 districts in the Delaware Senate. It has been vacant since Democrat Sarah McBride, who succeeded fellow Democrat Harris McDowell III in 2020, resigned in 2025 to become a United States Congresswoman. ^[3] McBride is the first openly transgender state senator in American history. ^[4]

Geography

District 1 covers the northeastern tip of New Castle County along the Delaware River, including Claymont, Bellefonte, most of Edgemoor, and parts of northern Wilmington. ^{[5] [6]}

Like all districts in the state, the 1st Senate district is located entirely within Delaware's at-large congressional district. It overlaps with the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 10th districts of the Delaware House of Representatives. ^[7] The district borders New Jersey via the Delaware River and Pennsylvania via the Twelve-Mile Circle. ^[1]

Recent election results

Delaware Senators are elected to staggered four-year terms. Under normal circumstances, the 1st district holds elections in presidential years, except immediately after redistricting, when all seats are up for election regardless of the usual cycle.

2020

2020 Delaware Senate election, District 1 ^[8]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sarah McBride	7,902	91.3
	Democratic	Joseph McCole	752	8.7
Total votes			8,654	100
General election
	Democratic	Sarah McBride	16,865	73.3
	Republican	Steve Washington	6,144	26.7
Total votes			23,009	100
	Democratic hold

2016

2016 Delaware Senate election, District 1 ^[8]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Harris McDowell III (incumbent)	3,876	70.8
	Democratic	Joseph McCole	1,596	29.2
Total votes			5,472	100
General election
	Democratic	Harris McDowell III (incumbent)	11,858	56.3
	Republican	James Spadola	9,195	43.7
Total votes			21,053	100
	Democratic hold

2012

2012 Delaware Senate election, District 1 ^[8]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Harris McDowell III (incumbent)	2,342	52.2
	Democratic	David D. Brady	1,613	36.0
	Democratic	James Martin	528	11.8
Total votes			4,483	100
General election
	Democratic	Harris McDowell III (incumbent)	15,155	85.3
	Independent	Robert Clark	2,054	11.6
	Libertarian	Bryan Lintz	555	3.1
Total votes			17,764	100
	Democratic hold

Federal and statewide results

Year	Office	Results [9] [10]
2020	President	Biden 74.2 – 24.2%
2016	President	Clinton 68.0 – 26.7%
2014	Senate	Coons 70.8 – 26.4%
2012	President	Obama 70.4 – 27.8%
	Senate	Carper 76.0 – 19.4%
	Governor	Markell 78.7 – 18.8%

References

1. "State Senate District 1, DE". Census Reporter. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
2. "State of Delaware Elections Voter Registration Totals By Senatorial District". State of Delaware. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
3. "I submitted my resignation from the Delaware State Senate today". Via Instagram. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
4. "Senator Sarah McBride (D)". Delaware General Assembly. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
5. "Senate Districts". Delaware General Assembly. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
6. "State Senate District 1" (PDF). Delaware General Assembly. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
7. David Jarman. "How do counties, House districts, and legislative districts all overlap?". Daily Kos. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
8. "Delaware State Senate District 1". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
9. "Daily Kos Elections Statewide Results by LD". Daily Kos. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
10. "2020 Presidential by Legislative District & Most Recent Election Result". CNalysis. Retrieved June 9, 2021.