Candidate name: Terrell Williams

Party: Democratic

Age: 40

Hometown: Philadelphia

Political experience: n/a

Professional experience: Attorney, adjunct professor, former federal civil service employee, veteran.

What uniquely qualifies you for this office?

I am an American, a veteran, a Delawarean and a community activist. I have spent my whole adult life in service to others through my military service, my years of service as a federal civil service employee and being an adjunct professor. I have a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a juris doctorate degree, in addition to my extensive professional experiences. I am a member of the 9th Representative District Executive Committee, the New Castle County Diversity Commission, the M.O.T. NAACP chapter and other organizations which play a vital role in our community. I believe my experiences make me uniquely qualified for state representative.

What are the top three issues for this office in your view?

My top three issues are choice, voting rights and mental health reform. Considering Roe v. Wade was overturned and women’s rights are under attack, I want to ensure abortion remains legal in Delaware and that women who are coming to Delaware to access maternal health care are not subjected to criminal penalties. Additionally, in light of the Delaware Supreme Court’s decision striking voting by mail and same-day voter registration, I find it imperative that our General Assembly do more to ensure every voter in Delaware can vote. Adopting state amendments that make voting more inclusive and that adds more mechanisms for casting votes are signs of a healthy and diverse Delaware. Finally, I think Delaware has made great strides in fixing its mental health system. However, we must do more to ensure people suffering from a mental health emergency are not negatively impacted by our criminal justice system. Therefore, if I am elected, I will work to create a mental health court that will allow us to reroute people who need help and services from our criminal justice system.

What would be your top priority if elected?

My top priority will be protecting abortion rights in Delaware and for out-of-state women accessing abortion in our state. I want to ensure Delaware’s examination rooms remain sacred and free from radical legislators who seek to restrict and disrupt the doctor-patient relationship. I believe protecting abortion rights should be every Democrat’s priority. If we lose the battle for abortion, then radical Republicans will target every other fundamental right and civil liberty they do not like. We must draw a line in the sand and reclaim our democracy.

If you could change one state policy or law, what would it be?

This is easy, I would reverse the Delaware Supreme Court decision striking down the voting-by-mail and same-day voter registration provisions. I think our democracy is defined by our values and ideas around inclusion and representation. However, when we exclude large swaths of voters from participating in our election process, we undermine the principles on which this country was founded (one person, one vote). Any mechanism that allows our state to be more inclusive and allows for increased voter participation should be embraced and praised, not shunned.

What can Delaware do about its workforce issues?

Delaware must increase pay and make compensation packages for civil services employees more competitive. We must do a better job of advertising employment opportunities to minority and underrepresented communities. We must change our laws around nepotism and ensure our hiring processes for municipal, county and state agencies are transparent and fair. We must invest in internship programs and create apprenticeship programs and leadership programs to develop and promote homegrown talent.

What, if any, gun laws would you change?

I would change liability laws for gun manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers to make them more accountable for lost weapons. Additionally, we must force gun owners who own a large cache of weapons to financially indemnify themselves, in case those weapons are ever used in a crime, lost, stolen or accidentally discharged, causing serious unintentional injury to another person. If we want to change gun culture in this country, we must begin to pass on the cost of gun violence to the gun industry and not the American people.

How would you protect or change abortion rights in the state?

See above.

Do you support the State Employee Benefits Committee’s move to a Medicare Advantage plan for state retirees? Why?

No. I believe the move to a Medicare Advantage plan will severely limit Delaware’s retirees’ access to quality medical coverage, which they have paid for and have earned. I think having to have medical procedures and medication preauthorized by an insurance company whose bottom line is profit, undermines the health and safety of the insured. I do not think the retirees or legislators were properly informed about the plan changes and cost increases associated with this move.