This is a list of the sessions of the Delaware General Assembly showing majority parties and leadership for each body and each session. Also included are the corresponding Governors and Lieutenant Governors where applicable. Delaware was one of the 13 colonies of Great Britain that joined the American War of Independence. The General Assembly was formed at that time and has met since then under four state constitutions as indicated.
Under the Delaware Constitution of 1776 the General Assembly consisted of The Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. There were nine members of the Council, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the Assembly, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first day of October, and terms began on the 20th day of October, lasting three years for the Council and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held several times every year.
| Delaware General Assembly 1776–1792 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Assembly | President | Council majority | Speaker | House majority | Speaker | |||||||
| 1776/77 | 1st | John McKinly Thomas McKean | rowspan=16 | No parties | George Read | rowspan=16 | No parties | John McKinly | |||||
| 1777/78 | 2nd | George Read Caesar Rodney | George Read | Samuel West | |||||||||
| 1778/79 | 3rd | Caesar Rodney | Thomas Collins | Samuel West | |||||||||
| 1779/80 | 4th | Caesar Rodney | John Clowes | Simon Kollock | |||||||||
| 1780/81 | 5th | Caesar Rodney | Thomas Collins | Benjamin Caton | |||||||||
| 1781/82 | 6th | Caesar Rodney John Dickinson | Thomas Collins | Simon Kollock | |||||||||
| 1782/83 | 7th | John Cook Nicholas Van Dyke | John Cook | Nicholas Van Dyke | |||||||||
| 1783/84 | 8th | Nicholas Van Dyke | Caesar Rodney | Robert Bryan | |||||||||
| 1784/85 | 9th | Nicholas Van Dyke | Thomas McDonough | Thomas Duff | |||||||||
| 1785/86 | 10th | Nicholas Van Dyke | Thomas McDonough | Thomas Duff | |||||||||
| 1786/87 | 11th | Thomas Collins | George Craighead | John Cook | |||||||||
| 1787/88 | 12th | Thomas Collins | Thomas McDonough | Thomas Rodney | |||||||||
| 1788/89 | 13th | Thomas Collins Jehu Davis Joshua Clayton | George Mitchell | Jehu Davis | |||||||||
| 1789/90 | 14th | Joshua Clayton | George Mitchell | Jehu Davis | |||||||||
| 1790/91 | 15th | Joshua Clayton | George Mitchell | Henry Latimer | |||||||||
| 1791/92 | 16th | Joshua Clayton | George Mitchell | Allan McLane |
Under the Delaware Constitution of 1792 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday of October and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting three years for the Senate and one year for the House. Approximately one third of the Senate was elected every year. Sessions were generally held once every year.
| Delaware General Assembly 1793–1832 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Assembly | Governor | Senate majority | Speaker | House majority | Speaker | |||||||
| 1793 | 17th | Joshua Clayton | rowspan=30 | Federalist | Daniel Rogers | rowspan=30 | Federalist | George Wilson Stephen Lewis | |||||
| 1794 | 18th | Joshua Clayton | Daniel Rogers | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1795 | 19th | Joshua Clayton | Daniel Rogers | Peter Lowber | |||||||||
| 1796 | 20th | Gunning Bedford Sr. | Daniel Rogers | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1797 | 21st | Gunning Bedford Sr. Daniel Rogers | Daniel Rogers | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1798 | 22nd | Daniel Rogers | Isaac Davis | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1799 | 23rd | Richard Bassett | Isaac Davis | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1800 | 24th | Richard Bassett | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1801 | 25th | Richard Bassett James Sykes | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1802 | 26th | David Hall | Daniel Rogers | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1803 | 27th | David Hall | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1804 | 28th | David Hall | James Sykes | Jesse Green | |||||||||
| 1805 | 29th | Nathaniel Mitchell | James Sykes | Thomas Laws | |||||||||
| 1806 | 30th | Nathaniel Mitchell | James Sykes | Jesse Green | |||||||||
| 1807 | 31st | Nathaniel Mitchell | James Sykes | William Warner | |||||||||
| 1808 | 32nd | George Truitt | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1809 | 33rd | George Truitt | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1810 | 34th | George Truitt | James Sykes | Stephen Lewis | |||||||||
| 1811 | 35th | Joseph Haslet | James Sykes | Cornelius P. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1812 | 36th | Joseph Haslet | James Sykes | Cornelius P. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1813 | 37th | Joseph Haslet | Andrew Barratt | Cornelius P. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1814 | 38th | Daniel Rodney | Andrew Barratt | Cornelius P. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1815 | 39th | Daniel Rodney | Jesse Green | Cornelius P. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1816 | 40th | Daniel Rodney | Jesse Green | Nathan Vickers | |||||||||
| 1817 | 41st | John Clark | Henry Molleston | Nathan Vickers | |||||||||
| 1818 | 42nd | John Clark | Henry Molleston | Nathan Vickers | |||||||||
| 1819 | 43rd | John Clark | Henry Molleston | Nathan Vickers | |||||||||
| 1820 | 44th | Jacob Stout | Jacob Stout | Nathan Vickers | |||||||||
| 1821 | 45th | John Collins | Caleb Rodney | John Cummins | |||||||||
| 1822 | 46th | John Collins Caleb Rodney | Caleb Rodney | Alrichs Ryland | |||||||||
| 1823 | 47th | Joseph Haslet Charles Thomas | Democratic-Republican | Charles Thomas | Democratic-Republican | George Clark Jr. | |||||||
| 1824 | 48th | Samuel Paynter | rowspan=6 | Federalist | Jesse Green | rowspan=6 | Federalist | Joshua Burton | |||||
| 1825 | 49th | Samuel Paynter | Jesse Green | Joshua Burton | |||||||||
| 1826 | 50th | Samuel Paynter | Charles Polk Jr. | Arnold Naudain | |||||||||
| 1827 | 51st | Charles Polk Jr. | Henry Whiteley | Archibald Hamilton | |||||||||
| 1828 | 52nd | Charles Polk Jr. | Presley Spruance | William W. Morris | |||||||||
| 1829 | 53rd | Charles Polk Jr. | Presley Spruance | William W. Morris John Raymond | |||||||||
| 1830 | 54th | David Hazzard | rowspan=3 | National Republican | Presley Spruance | rowspan=3 | National Republican | Joshua Burton | |||||
| 1831 | 55th | David Hazzard | Presley Spruance | Joshua Burton | |||||||||
| 1832 | 56th | David Hazzard | James P. Lofland | Thomas Davis |
Under the Delaware Constitution of 1831 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There were nine members of the Senate, three from each county, and twenty-one members of the House of Representatives, seven from each county. All members were elected "at-large" from a multi-member district that included their entire county. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms began on the first Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every two years, in the odd numbered year.
| Delaware General Assembly 1832–1898 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Assembly | Governor | Senate majority | Speaker | House majority | Speaker | |||||||
| 1833–1835 | 57th | Caleb Bennett | rowspan=3 | Whig | Joshua Burton | rowspan=3 | Whig | John Raymond | |||||
| 1835–1837 | 58th | Caleb Bennett Charles Polk Jr. | Charles Polk Jr. | William D. Waples | |||||||||
| 1837–1839 | 59th | Cornelius P. Comegys | Presley Spruance | William D. Waples | |||||||||
| 1839–1841 | 60th | Cornelius P. Comegys | Democratic | Thomas Jacobs | Democratic | John P. Brinckloe | |||||||
| 1841–1843 | 61st | William B. Cooper | rowspan=5 | Whig | Charles Polk Jr. | rowspan=5 | Whig | Robert Houston | |||||
| 1843–1845 | 62nd | William B. Cooper | Presley Spruance | William O. Redden | |||||||||
| 1845–1847 | 63rd | Thomas Stockton Joseph Maull William Temple | Joseph Maull | William Temple William O. Redden | |||||||||
| 1847–1849 | 64th | William Tharp | William W. Morris | Lewis Thompson | |||||||||
| 1849–1851 | 65th | William Tharp | William W. Morris | Daniel Cummins | |||||||||
| 1851–1853 | 66th | William H. H. Ross | rowspan=2 | Democratic | John M. Phillips | rowspan=2 | Democratic | Samuel Jefferson | |||||
| 1853–1855 | 67th | William H. H. Ross | John M. Phillips | John R. McFee | |||||||||
| 1855–1857 | 68th | Peter F. Causey | Know-nothing | Daniel Curry | Know-nothing | Samuel Biddle | |||||||
| 1857–1859 | 69th | Peter F. Causey | rowspan=21 | Democratic | Abraham Boyce | rowspan=2 | Democratic | George W. Cummins | |||||
| 1859–1861 | 70th | William Burton | Manlove Carlisle | John W. F. Jackson | |||||||||
| 1861–1863 | 71st | William Burton | John Green | Republican | John F. Williamson | ||||||||
| 1863–1865 | 72nd | William Cannon | John R. Tatum | rowspan=13 | Democratic | John Sorden | |||||||
| 1865–1867 | 73rd | William Cannon Gove Saulsbury | Gove Saulsbury William Hitch | Shephard P. Houston | |||||||||
| 1867–1869 | 74th | Gove Saulsbury | James Ponder | William A. Polk | |||||||||
| 1869–1871 | 75th | Gove Saulsbury | James W. Minors | John Hickman | |||||||||
| 1871–1873 | 76th | James Ponder | Charles Gooding | Sewell C. Biggs | |||||||||
| 1873–1875 | 77th | James Ponder | Allen V. Leslie | Joseph Burchenal | |||||||||
| 1875–1877 | 78th | John P. Cochran | Charles C. Stockley | Thomas Holcomb | |||||||||
| 1877–1879 | 79th | John P. Cochran | John T. Moore | Hugh Martin | |||||||||
| 1879–1881 | 80th | John W. Hall | Charles J. Harrington | Swithin Chandler | |||||||||
| 1881–1883 | 81st | John W. Hall | Cateby F. Rust | Reynear Williams | |||||||||
| 1883–1885 | 82nd | Charles C. Stockley | Samuel B. Cooper | George H. Bates | |||||||||
| 1885–1887 | 83rd | Charles C. Stockley | Alexander B. Cooper | William A. Comegys | |||||||||
| 1887–1889 | 84th | Benjamin T. Biggs | John E. Collins | William R. McCabe | |||||||||
| 1889–1891 | 85th | Benjamin T. Biggs | Beniah L. Lewis | Republican | John H. Hoffecker | ||||||||
| 1891–1893 | 86th | Robert J. Reynolds | John P. Donohoe | rowspan=2 | Democratic | William L. Sirman | |||||||
| 1893–1895 | 87th | Robert J. Reynolds | Charles B. Houston | J. Harvey Whiteman | |||||||||
| 1895–1897 | 88th | Joshua H. Marvil William T. Watson | William T. Watson | Republican | Henry H. McMullen | ||||||||
| 1897–1899 | 89th | Ebe W. Tunnell | Hezekiah Harrington | Democratic | Emory B. Riggin | ||||||||
Under the original Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consisted of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate was elected every two years. Sessions were generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.
Prior to 1965, there were seventeen members of the Senate, seven from New Castle County and five each from Kent and Sussex County. There were thirty-five members of the House of Representatives, fifteen from New Castle County and ten each from Kent and Sussex County. All members were elected from single member districts.
| Delaware General Assembly 1899–1964 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Assembly | Governor | Lt. Governor | Senate majority | President pro tempore | House majority | Speaker | ||||||||
| 1899–1900 | 90th | Ebe W. Tunnell | None | Democratic | Charles M. Salmon | rowspan=5 | Republican | Theodore F. Clark | |||||||
| 1901–1902 | 91st | John Hunn | Philip L. Cannon | rowspan=5 | Republican | Henry C. Ellison | James V. McCommons | ||||||||
| 1903–1904 | 92nd | John Hunn | Philip L. Cannon | Henry C. Ellison | Henry S. Anthony | ||||||||||
| 1905–1906 | 93rd | Preston Lea | Isaac T. Parker | Alvin B. Conner | William D. Denney | ||||||||||
| 1907–1908 | 94th | Preston Lea | Isaac T. Parker | George W. Sparks | Richard Hodgson | ||||||||||
| 1909–1910 | 95th | Simeon S. Pennewill | John M. Mendinhall | George W. Sparks | Democratic | Thomas O. Cooper | |||||||||
| 1911–1912 | 96th | Simeon S. Pennewill | John M. Mendinhall | Democratic | Thomas M. Monaghan | rowspan=3 | Republican | Denward W. Campbell | |||||||
| 1913–1914 | 97th | Charles R. Miller | Colen Ferguson | rowspan=5 | Republican | George W. Marshall | Chauncey P. Holcomb | ||||||||
| 1915–1916 | 98th | Charles R. Miller | Colen Ferguson | John M. Walker | Charles H. Grantland | ||||||||||
| 1917–1918 | 99th | John G. Townsend Jr. | Lewis T. Eliason | John A. Barnard | Democratic | Hervey P. Hall | |||||||||
| 1919–1920 | 100th | John G. Townsend Jr. | Lewis T. Eliason | Isaac D. Short | Republican | Alexander P. Corbit | |||||||||
| 1921–1922 | 101st | William D. Denney | J. Danforth Bush | Wallace S. Handy | rowspan=2 | Democratic | Walter J. Paskey Sr. | ||||||||
| 1923–1924 | 102nd | William D. Denney | J. Danforth Bush | rowspan=3 | Democratic | Charles D. Murphy | Samuel N. Culver | ||||||||
| 1925–1926 | 103rd | Robert P. Robinson | James H. Anderson | William C. Truitt | rowspan=4 | Republican | Henry C. Downward | ||||||||
| 1927–1928 | 104th | Robert P. Robinson | James H. Anderson | William F. Allen | William Wintrup | ||||||||||
| 1929–1930 | 105th | C. Douglass Buck | James H. Hazel | rowspan=10 | Republican | William A. Simonton | Charles W. Messick | ||||||||
| 1931–1932 | 106th | C. Douglass Buck | James H. Hazel | William A. Simonton | Bud Coy | ||||||||||
| 1933–1934 | 107th | C. Douglass Buck | Roy F. Corley | William A. Simonton | Democratic | Julian T. Robinson | |||||||||
| 1935–1936 | 108th | C. Douglass Buck | Roy F. Corley | Levi G. Maloney | Republican | Harry V. Lyons | |||||||||
| 1937–1938 | 109th | Richard C. McMullen | Edward W. Cooch | William A. Simonton | Democratic | John R. Fader | |||||||||
| 1939–1940 | 110th | Richard C. McMullen | Edward W. Cooch | David W. Steele | rowspan=8 | Republican | Frank R. Zebley | ||||||||
| 1941–1942 | 111th | Walter W. Bacon | Isaac J. MacCollum | Harold W. T. Purnell | George W. Rhodes | ||||||||||
| 1943–1944 | 112th | Walter W. Bacon | Isaac J. MacCollum | Clayton A. Bunting | Benjamin F. Johnson | ||||||||||
| 1945–1946 | 113th | Walter W. Bacon | Elbert N. Carvel | Harry H. Mulholland | Chester V. Townsend Jr. | ||||||||||
| 1947–1948 | 114th | Walter W. Bacon | Elbert N. Carvel | George W. Rhodes | William T. Chipman | ||||||||||
| 1949–1950 | 115th | Elbert N. Carvel | Alexis I. du Pont Bayard | rowspan=2 | Democratic | Vera G. Davis | Harvey H. Lawson | ||||||||
| 1951–1952 | 116th | Elbert N. Carvel | Alexis I. du Pont Bayard | Roy A. Cannon | Harvey H. Lawson | ||||||||||
| 1953–1954 | 117th | J. Caleb Boggs | John W. Rollins | Republican | Thomas L. Johnson | Frank A. Jones | |||||||||
| 1955–1956 | 118th | J. Caleb Boggs | John W. Rollins | rowspan=5 | Democratic | Charles G. Moore | rowspan=5 | Democratic | James R. Quigley | ||||||
| 1957–1958 | 119th | J. Caleb Boggs | David P. Buckson | Lemuel Hickman | Harry E. Mayhew | ||||||||||
| 1959–1960 | 120th | J. Caleb Boggs | David P. Buckson | Allen J. Cook | Sherman W. Tribbitt | ||||||||||
| 1961–1962 | 121st | Elbert N. Carvel | Eugene Lammot | John B. Reilly | Sherman W. Tribbitt | ||||||||||
| 1963–1964 | 122nd | Elbert N. Carvel | Eugene Lammot | Curtis W. Steen | Sherman W. Tribbitt |
Under the amended Delaware Constitution of 1897 the General Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1 and terms begin on the second Tuesday in January, lasting four years for the Senate and two years for the House. Approximately half of the Senate is elected every two years. Sessions are generally held once every year, lasting no longer than June 30.
Since 1965 the membership of the Senate has increased to twenty-one members and the House to forty-one members. All members are elected from single member districts, with roughly equal population, reapportioned at each census. While district boundaries no longer necessarily follow county boundaries, in the Senate there are presently fourteen districts mostly in New Castle County, three mostly in Kent County, and four mostly in Sussex County. In the House there are presently twenty-six districts mostly in New Castle County, seven mostly in Kent County, and eight mostly in Sussex County.
| Delaware General Assembly 1965–2008 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Assembly | Governor | Lt. Governor | Senate majority | President pro tempore | House majority | Speaker | ||||||||
| 1965–1966 | 123rd | Charles L. Terry Jr. | Sherman W. Tribbitt | rowspan=2 | Democratic | Curtis W. Steen | Democratic | Harold T. Bockman | |||||||
| 1967–1968 | 124th | Charles L. Terry Jr. | Sherman W. Tribbitt | Calvin R. McCullough | rowspan=4 | Republican | George C. Hering III | ||||||||
| 1969–1970 | 125th | Russell W. Peterson | Eugene Bookhammer | rowspan=2 | Republican | Reynolds du Pont | George C. Hering III | ||||||||
| 1971–1972 | 126th | Russell W. Peterson | Eugene Bookhammer | Reynolds du Pont | William L. Frederick | ||||||||||
| 1973–1974 | 127th | Sherman W. Tribbitt | Eugene Bookhammer | rowspan=26 | Democratic | J. Donald Isaacs | John F. Kirk Jr. | ||||||||
| 1975–1976 | 128th | Sherman W. Tribbitt | Eugene Bookhammer | J. Donald Isaacs | rowspan=2 | Democratic | Casimir S. Jonkiert | ||||||||
| 1977–1978 | 129th | Pete du Pont | James D. McGinnis | Richard S. Cordrey | Kenneth W. Boulden John P. Ferguson | ||||||||||
| 1979–1980 | 130th | Pete du Pont | James D. McGinnis | Richard S. Cordrey | rowspan=2 | Republican | Robert W. Riddagh | ||||||||
| 1981–1982 | 131st | Pete du Pont | Mike Castle | Richard S. Cordrey | Charles L. Hebner | ||||||||||
| 1983–1984 | 132nd | Pete du Pont | Mike Castle | Richard S. Cordrey | Democratic | Orlando J. George Jr. | |||||||||
| 1985–1986 | 133rd | Mike Castle | Shien Biau Woo | Richard S. Cordrey | rowspan=12 | Republican | Charles L. Hebner | ||||||||
| 1987–1988 | 134th | Mike Castle | Shien Biau Woo | Richard S. Cordrey | B. Bradford Barnes Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | 135th | Mike Castle | Dale E. Wolf | Richard S. Cordrey | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | 136th | Mike Castle | Dale E. Wolf | Richard S. Cordrey | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | 137th | Tom Carper | Ruth Ann Minner | Richard S. Cordrey | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | 138th | Tom Carper | Ruth Ann Minner | Richard S. Cordrey | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | 139th | Tom Carper | Ruth Ann Minner | Thomas B. Sharp | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | 140th | Tom Carper | Ruth Ann Minner | Thomas B. Sharp | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | 141st | Ruth Ann Minner | John Carney | Thomas B. Sharp | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | 142nd | Ruth Ann Minner | John Carney | Thurman Adams Jr. | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | 143rd | Ruth Ann Minner | John Carney | Thurman Adams Jr. | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | 144th | Ruth Ann Minner | John Carney | Thurman Adams Jr. | Terry R. Spence | ||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | 145th | Jack Markell | Matthew P. Denn | Anthony J. DeLuca | rowspan=8 | Democratic | Robert F. Gilligan | ||||||||
| 2011–2012 | 146th | Jack Markell | Matthew P. Denn | Anthony J. DeLuca | Robert F. Gilligan | ||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | 147th | Jack Markell | Matthew P. Denn | Patricia M. Blevins | Peter C. Schwartzkopf | ||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | 148th | Jack Markell | Vacant | Patricia M. Blevins | Peter C. Schwartzkopf | ||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | 149th | John Carney | Bethany Hall-Long | David McBride | Peter C. Schwartzkopf | ||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | 150th | John Carney | Bethany Hall-Long | David McBride | Peter C. Schwartzkopf | ||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | 151st | John Carney | Bethany Hall-Long | David Sokola | Peter C. Schwartzkopf | ||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | 152nd | John Carney | Bethany Hall-Long | David Sokola | Peter C. Schwartzkopf |