Little Creek

Municipal Elections

Election Process

The present duly elected commissioners shall be the commissioners for the said Town of Little Creek until the first Saturday in March. In every even numbered year thereafter, there shall be elected three (3) commissioners for the term of two (2) years each. Upon the first Saturday in March in every odd numbered year there shall be elected two (2) commissioners and an assessor for the term of two (2) years each. Commissioners shall serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

Commissioners shall serve without compensation. Each Commissioner shall be above the age of 21 years and a resident of said Town of Little Creek for at least two (2) years.  If, during his/her term, any commissioner or assessor shall cease to be a resident of said Town of Little Creek, he/she shall ipso facto vacate his/her office. In case of vacancy created in any office, either by death, resignation, loss of residence, or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled by holding a special town election within thirty (30) days.

Municipal elections shall be held on the first Saturday in March of each year from 2 o’clock to 6 o’clock in the afternoon, at which time every person, male or female, above the age of eighteen (18) years who shall have been a bona fide resident of the Town of Little Creek for at least thirty (30) days immediately preceding any such election shall be able to cast one (1) vote in the election. All votes shall be offered in person. 

A Notice of Candidacy must be filed, in writing, by February 5, 2024, and mailed to the Town of Little Creek, President of the Board of Commissioners, PO Box 298, Little Creek, DE 19961. The President of the Board of Commissioners shall publish a list of candidates for office in at least four (4) public places in the Town of Little Creek at least 20 days prior to the election. (61 Del. Laws, c. 518, 7/13/78) Section 4. For the upcoming 2024 elections, candidates shall indicate whether they are filling for one of the three full term seats, or one of the two partial term seats.  No one needs to specify on their application if they are interested in the position of President, Treasurer or Town Clerk, for the new Commission would still need to get together after the election to vote on who will serve as President, Treasurer and Town Clerk for the coming year.

That in each and every year there shall be twelve (12) stated meetings of the Commissioners of the Town of Little Creek, as follows: On the first Monday of each of the months of January through December, at which meetings the said Commissioners may pass all ordinances that may be necessary for the good government of the Town of Little Creek for the improvement of the streets, paving of sidewalks, and the proper lighting of the streets, and the planning and protection of ornamental trees, and for all other matters relating to the Town of Little Creek that may be provided for by any of the provisions of this Act.

The said Commissioners shall pass ordinances, imposing fines, penalties, and forfeitures, and provide for their collection. (61 Del. Laws, c. 518, 7/13/78) Section 5. At the first stated meeting of the Commissioners in each and every year one of the said Commissioners shall be chosen President of the Board of Commissioners, and the President shall preside at all the meetings of the Commissioners, and shall have the general supervision of all the streets, lanes and alleys of said town and of all the persons that may be employed by the Commissioners, and shall receive complaints of nuisances and any other complaints of the citizens of the Town of Little Creek of the violation, of the ordinances of said town, and shall present the same to the Commissioners at their next meeting for their action; and in all cases where immediate action is required the President shall cause the same to be proceeded on by the Alderman. He shall sign all warrants for the payment of money, and shall perform such other duties as may be imposed by any of the ordinances of the said town.

Notes:

• The stipulation “the owner of real estate within said Town of Little Creek,” has been omitted from the conditions of service indicated above, because it has been determined to be unconstitutional and will be removed from the Town Charter in a future update.
• Please be mindful of conflicts of interest, which typically arises when you can’t exercise clear, unbiased judgment because of another interest you have that could cloud your decision making ability.
• The Town does not elect the Mayor, Treasurer or Town Clerk. The Town elects Commissioners, who then on an annual basis, select who will serve as Mayor, Treasurer, and Town Clerk for the coming year. All Commissioners have a vote in all matters before the commission.
• The Assessor is the person who determines how much each property in Town is assessed at for tax purposes. Since the Town of Little Creek adopts the Kent County tax assessment values, there is no need for an assessor. 
• The Town does not have an Alderman, nor an Alderman Court. 
• A candidate for municipal government shall be 21 years of age or older by the date of the election, be a citizen of the United States and the State of Delaware.
• A candidate for municipal government shall not have been convicted of a felony, and have been a resident of the Town of Little Creek for at least two years prior to the date of election.
• In addition to the aforementioned Notice of Candidacy filed with the Town of Little Creek, President of the Board of Commissioners, candidates must also complete State of Delaware Municipal Election forms: Certification of Intention (filled out and filed on-line) and Candidate Filing Form , which is to be filled out, then taken to the Office of the State Elections Commissioner at 905 S. Governors Avenue, Suite 170, Dover DE 19904, who will then notarize it, keep a copy for their files, and return the original, so that it may be mailed along with the Notice of Candidacy, to the Town of Little Creek, President of the Board of Commissioners.
• Election Day will be Saturday, March 2, 2024 between the hours of 2:00 – 6:00 pm. and held at the Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company, 311 Main St, Little Creek, DE 19961.
• When it comes to voting, each voter will be able to vote for 3 candidates seeking full term seats and 2 candidates seeking partial term seats.
• The three people with the highest number of votes in the full term category will win those seats and the two individuals receiving the most votes in the partial term category win those seats. 

Open Commissioner Seats

Edward Strouse – Full Term (two years)
Term: 2024-2026
Serving our community since 2022

Adrienne Hegman – Full Term (two years)
Term: 2024-2026
Serving our community since 2022

Theresa May – Full Term (two years)
Term: 2024-2026
Serving our community since 2021

Carol Puleo – Partial Term (one year)
Term: 2023-2025 (vacated 1/1/2023)
Note: This commissioner resigned mid-term, therefore this seat will be included in the March 2nd election, but this elected commissioner will only serve the remainder of the original term (one year).