Special election to fill Delaware Rep. Gerald Brady's seat set for March

Delaware State News
Posted 2/2/22

DOVER — A special election will be held next month to fill Gerald Brady's House of Representatives seat, which was vacated Wednesday.

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Special election to fill Delaware Rep. Gerald Brady's seat set for March

Posted

DOVER — A special election will be held next month to fill Gerald Brady's House of Representatives seat, which was vacated Wednesday.

The election is set for March 5. The winner will serve the remainder of the term for Wilmington's 4th District, which will expire on Election Day in November.

Rep. Brady announced his resignation in late January, which triggered a state law governing special elections for vacant legislative seats.

Under that code, a writ of election must be issued within 10 days of the vacancy occurring. The writ sets the date for the special election, which must take place 30-35 days from when the writ is released.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, issued the writ to set the special election for March 5.

The race will be overseen by the Department of Elections. This will be the first in Delaware to include in-person early voting 10 days prior to the election under a 2019 law.

Following the end of the term in November, the 4th Representative District will be dissolved, with constituents being absorbed by neighboring districts.

Due to population growth in Sussex, the 4th District will move there and will encompass the greater Long Neck/Angola area. It will be nestled between House District 14 (a seat held by Rep. Schwartzkopf), District 38 (Republican Ron Gray), District 41 (Republican Rich Collins), District 37 (Republican Ruth Briggs King) and District 20 (Republican Steve Smyk).

In his letter announcing his resignation, Rep. Brady, a Delaware Army National Guard veteran, said he has lost the majority of his hearing as a result of his deployments and has been struggling with subsequent challenges daily. He has also been diagnosed with PTSD.

“The grim reality of this condition for those of us who live with it is long periods of silent suffering, which can be punctuated by episodes or conduct that may make little sense to people who do not understand the nature of PTSD,” Rep. Brady said. “The challenges that returning veterans face can create situational stresses, which have a cumulative effect and take a great toll on an individual. Personal and professional challenges or other traumatic events can exacerbate PTSD.”

His resignation came following controversy: After legislators determined that he used racist and sexist terms to discuss human trafficking in a June 27, 2021, email, Rep. Brady said he would not seek reelection last summer.

Additionally, in January, the representative was charged with two misdemeanor counts of shoplifting in connection to two incidents at a Newark Acme, police said.

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