Constitutional Amendment Requiring DE State Lawmakers to Live in the District They Represent Passes
The Delaware State Senate has passed House Bill 77 – the second leg of a constitutional amendment that requires state legislators to continuously reside in the districts they are elected to represent. Currently lawmakers are required to live in the district they wish to represent for a full year before Election Day, but there is no requirement that a legislator maintain a full-time residence in that district once elected. HB 77 requires lawmakers to continuously live in their districts for the entirety of their terms – if they move out of their district before the end of their term, the would be “deemed to have resigned the office.”
There is a once-a-decade exception for sitting legislators who change their residence to live within the boundaries of newly drawn districts through the redistricting process.
The measure passed with an over 2/3 majority vote – with 20 yes votes and 1 absent. The amendment will now be incorporated into the Delaware Constitution. The Governor’s signature is not required.
