Attorney General of Delaware
| Delaware Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $152,891 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $63,327,300 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Delaware Code, 29-25-2502 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
Attorney General of Delaware
Kathy Jennings | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Delaware Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Auditor•Secretary of Education•Agriculture Secretary•Insurance Commissioner•Natural Resources Secretary•Labor Secretary•Public Service Commission | |
The Attorney General of Delaware is a constitutional officer of the state of Delaware, and is the chief law officer and the head of the state department of justice.
The attorney general is elected to a four-year term in the "off-year" state election, two years before or after the election of the governor. The office existed in various forms prior to the ratification of the Delaware Constitution of 1776, which continued the colonial tradition by which the governor appointed the attorney general for a five-year tenure. With the ratification of the state constitution of 1897, the attorney general became an elected office held for four-year terms. It also established the attorney general as third in line of succession to the office of governor, after the lieutenant governor and secretary of state.[1]
Delaware has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current attorney general is Kathy Jennings, a Democrat first elected in November 2018 and sworn in January 1, 2019. She succeeded Matthew Denn (D).[2]
Authority
The office of attorney general is mentioned in the state constitution, but its powers are formally enumerated in statute.[3]
Delaware Code, 29-25-2502
| There is created a State Department of Justice under the supervision, direction and control of the Attorney General. |
Qualifications
There are no required qualifications for the office of attorney general.
Elections
Per Article III, Section 21 of the Delaware Constitution, attorneys general are elected every four years in federal midterm election years (e.g. 2014, 2018, 2022, etc.). Traditionally, they are sworn in on the first Tuesday in January in the year after they are elected.
2022
- See also: Delaware Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Delaware
Incumbent Kathy Jennings defeated Julianne Murray in the general election for Attorney General of Delaware on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kathy Jennings (D) | 53.8 | 171,837 |
 | Julianne Murray (R)  | 46.2 | 147,369 | |
| Total votes: 319,206 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Kathy Jennings advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Delaware.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Julianne Murray advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Delaware.
2018
- See also: Delaware Attorney General election, 2018
General election
General election for Attorney General of Delaware
Kathy Jennings defeated Bernard Pepukayi in the general election for Attorney General of Delaware on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathy Jennings (D) | 61.3 | 218,351 |
 | Bernard Pepukayi (R) | 38.7 | 137,730 | |
| Total votes: 356,081 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Delaware
Kathy Jennings defeated LaKresha Roberts, Chris Johnson, and Tim Mullaney in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Delaware on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathy Jennings | 56.6 | 46,038 |
| LaKresha Roberts | 21.6 | 17,584 | |
| Chris Johnson | 15.0 | 12,195 | |
| Tim Mullaney | 6.8 | 5,513 | |
| Total votes: 81,330 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Delaware
Bernard Pepukayi advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Delaware on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Bernard Pepukayi |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
2014
- See also: Delaware attorney general election, 2014
| Attorney General of Delaware, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Matthew Denn |
52.8% | 121,410 | |
| Republican | Ted Kittila | 39.2% | 90,257 | |
| Green | Catherine Damavandi | 4.6% | 10,599 | |
| Independent | David Graham | 2.1% | 4,879 | |
| Libertarian | John Machurek | 1.3% | 2,984 | |
| Total Votes | 230,129 | |||
| Election results via Delaware Office of the State Election Commissioner | ||||
Full history
To view the electoral history dating back to 2010 for the office of Delaware attorney general, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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2010
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Term limits
Attorneys general do not face any term limits.
Vacancies
If a vacancy occurs in the office of attorney general, the governor appoints a replacement who serves until a new officeholder can be elected. (Delaware Constitution, Article III, Section 9)
Duties
The attorney general heads the Delaware Department of Justice, which is empowered to, "investigate matters involving the public peace, safety and justice." The department is charged with managing the activities of state detectives as well as all criminal proceedings in the state.[5] The attorney general also serves as chief legal counsel for the Delaware state government and offers advisory opinions to state agencies on request.[6]
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, the Delaware Attorney General's Office was comprised of the following divisions:
- Civil Law
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Fraud
- Administrative[7]
State budget
- See also: Delaware state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Justice in the Fiscal Year 2024 was $63,327,300.[8]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salaries of Delaware's elected state executives are determined by state law as mandated by the Delaware Constitution. Article III of the state constitution requires that salary changes not take effect until after the current terms of affected offices.
The Delaware State Legislature created the Delaware Compensation Commission in 1984 to determine state executive salaries. This commission consists of six members including two appointees by the governor, one appointee each by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Delaware State Senate, the current chair of the Delaware Business Roundtable and the director of the state Office of Management and Budget. Commissioners meet every four years to make salary recommendations, which are implemented unless the Delaware State Legislature rejects the entirety of the report. From 1985 to 2013, the commission's report has only been rejected once by legislators, who submitted their own salary increases for executives officials in 1993.[9]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $152,891, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $149,893, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $149,893, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $148,893, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $147,893, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $145,707, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $145,707, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $145,707, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $145,207, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general was paid an estimated $145,207. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
2012
In 2012, the attorney general was paid an estimated $143,769. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the attorney general earned compensation in the amount of $137,425.[19] His salary is determined by law.
Campaign finance
The Delaware Attorney General is responsible for investigating all campaign finance complaints regardless if it involves civil or criminal laws. All complaints are referred to the attorney general from the Delaware Commissioner of Elections after the complaint is received by the commissioner.
The attorney general holds all prosecution and investigative powers towards campaign finance complaints.[20]
Historical officeholders
| List of Former Officeholders from 1978-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | |||
| 1 | Gunning Bedford, Jr. | 1778–1790 | |||
| 2 | Nicholas Ridgely | 1790–1801 | |||
| 3 | Nicholas Van Dyke | 1801–1806 | |||
| 4 | Outerbridge Horsey | 1806–1810 | |||
| 5 | Thomas Clayton | 1810–1815 | |||
| 6 | James Rogers | 1815–1830 | |||
| 7 | Robert Frame | 1830–1835 | |||
| 8 | James Rogers | 1835–1840 | |||
| 9 | Edward W. Gilpin | 1840–1850 | |||
| 10 | Willard Saulsbury, Sr. | 1850–1855 | |||
| 11 | George P. Fisher | 1855–1860 | |||
| 12 | Alfred Wooten | 1860–1864 | |||
| 13 | Jacob Moore | 1864–1869 | |||
| 14 | Charles B. Lore | 1869–1874 | |||
| 15 | John B. Penington | 1874–1879 | |||
| 16 | George Gray | 1879–1885 | |||
| 17 | John H. Paynter | 1885–1887 | |||
| 18 | John Biggs | 1887–1892 | |||
| 19 | John R. Nicholson | 1892–1895 | |||
| 20 | Robert C. White | 1895–1901 | |||
| 21 | Herbert H. Ward | 1901–1905 | |||
| 22 | Robert H. Richards | 1905–1909 | |||
| 23 | Andrew C. Gray | 1909–1913 | |||
| 24 | Josiah O. Wolcott | 1913–1917 | |||
| 25 | David J. Reinhardt | 1917–1921 | |||
| 26 | Sylvester D. Townsend, Jr. | 1921–1925 | |||
| 27 | Clarence A. Southerland | 1925–1929 | |||
| 28 | Reuben Satterthwaite, Jr. | 1929–1933 | |||
| 29 | Daniel J. Layton | 1933 | |||
| 30 | P. Warren Green | 1933–1939 | |||
| 31 | James R. Morford | 1939–1943 | |||
| 32 | Clair J. Killoran | 1943–1947 | |||
| 33 | Albert W. James | 1947–1951 | |||
| 34 | H. Albert Young | 1951–1955 | |||
| 35 | Joseph D. Craven | 1955–1959 | |||
| 36 | Januar D. Bove, Jr. | 1959–1963 | |||
| 37 | David P. Buckson | 1963–1971 | |||
| 38 | W. Laird Stabler, Jr. | 1971–1975 | |||
| 39 | Richard R. Wier, Jr. | 1975–1979 | |||
| 40 | Richard S. Gebelein | 1979–1983 | |||
| 41 | Charles M. Oberly, III | 1983–1995 | |||
| 42 | M. Jane Brady | 1995–2005 | |||
| 43 | Carl Danberg | 2005–2007 | |||
| 44 | Beau Biden | 2007–2015 | |||
| 45 | Matthew Denn | 2015–2019 | |||
| 46 | Kathy Jennings | 2019–present | |||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Attorney General Delaware. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
102 W. Water Street
Dover, DE 19904
Criminal Division: 302-739-4211
Civil Division: 302-739-7641
Toll Free Phone: 302-739-1545
Fax: 302-739-7652
E-mail: [email protected]
See also
| Delaware | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Delaware Attorney General, "Homepage," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Department of Justice, "Attorney General Kathy Jennings Biography," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Code, "29-25-2502," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Secretary of State, November 2, 2010 General Election Results," accessed May 10, 2011
- ↑ Delaware Code, "29-25-2504," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Department of Justice, "About the Office," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Office of the Delaware Attorney General, "Divisions & Units," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly, "House Bill 195," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Delaware Code Online, "Title 29," January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ 'Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010 -- Table 4.11," accessed August 9, 2011
- ↑ Delaware Legislature, "Delaware Campaign Finance Law, Section Title 15, § 8043," accessed April 14, 2015
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