Jill Hicks unseats John Rieley in District 5. Doug Hudson holds District 4.
Early votes carried Hicks. Election Day votes went to Rieley, but not by enough. All results are unofficial until the state certifies them.
Democrat Jill Hicks beat Republican Councilman John Rieley in Sussex County Council District 5 on Nov. 3, 11,251 votes to 10,657, a margin of 594 votes. In District 4, Republican Council President Doug Hudson kept his seat, beating Democrat Justine Cuccia 16,202 to 12,988, a 3,214-vote margin.
The results are unofficial. They're from the Delaware Department of Elections, with data as of 3:03 a.m. Nov. 4, after all 530 election districts reported and each county's absentee-ballot tabulation was marked done.
How District 5 was won
Rieley won the Election Day vote by 1,042. Hicks won early voting by 1,120 and absentee ballots by 516. That was the race.
Jill Hicks (D) John L. Rieley (R)
| District 5 | Election Day | Early voting | Absentee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jill Hicks (D) | 4,238 | 6,186 | 827 | 11,251 (51.36%) |
| John L. Rieley (R) | 5,280 | 5,066 | 311 | 10,657 (48.64%) |
District 4
Hudson won both Election Day (6,519 to 3,863) and early voting (9,087 to 8,033). Cuccia won absentee ballots, 1,092 to 596.
| District 4 | Election Day | Early voting | Absentee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas B. Hudson (R) | 6,519 | 9,087 | 596 | 16,202 (55.51%) |
| Justine Cuccia (D) | 3,863 | 8,033 | 1,092 | 12,988 (44.49%) |
What it means for the council
Hicks becomes the second Democrat on the five-member council, joining Jane Gruenebaum, who was elected in 2024. Spotlight Delaware reported that development and growth dominated both races, with farmland preservation a key theme. The new council will help write the county's 2028 Comprehensive Plan, which will guide where developers can build over the next decade.
Row offices
Sheriff Robert T. Lee (69,404 votes), Recorder of Deeds Alexandra Reed Baker (69,494) and Register of Wills Greg Fuller (69,792) were re-elected without opponents.
What's next
The state certifies results after Election Day. We'll post the certified numbers when the state does, and we'll tell you if any total changes.
Sources
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