Election Day 2024: Sussex County voters head to the polls

For Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Meyer, Election Day was all about the votes, and the shoes.

Meyer slipped on a colorful pair of sneakers and hit the road early. His first stop was the Lewes Public Library just after the polls opened. He will be criss-crossing the state during the day, ending up at the Democratic watch party in Wilmington Tuesday night.

“We’ve built a tremendous movement of people here in Sussex County who think things need to be done differently,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he will take steps toward solving hard problems in southern Delaware.

“I believe many Sussex County families are not getting 21st-century healthcare because of poor leadership and planning; our roads, sewer and water systems are not right for the growth,” Meyer said.

Meyer has been New Castle County executive for eight years. He is facing Republican candidate Mike Ramone, who is the former House minority leader.

The shoes Meyer wore held a special place for his final campaign sprint. He said they were made by Kool Kolored Kid Generation, a New Castle company founded by Randall Law.

“They’re a group of kids who said, ‘We’re spending $100 on these sneakers and giving it to who knows who. Let’s make the sneakers ourselves,’ so I bought a pair,” Meyer said.

Meyer made them his shoe of choice for his final hours trying to fill bigger shoes in Dover.

In Rehoboth Beach, a couple of hours after polls opened, Claire Snyder-Hall, the Democratic candidate for House District 14, and Mike Simpler, the Republican candidate for House District 14, reported slow turnout at the polls. Both were standing in front of Rehoboth Elementary School.

Simpler said it’s been a little steady, but mostly slow, adding that he’s hearing the same thing from his campaign representatives at other locations.

Snyder-Hall felt the same way.

There are a lot of volunteers ready to engage with voters, but they’re kind of standing around, she said.

U.S. Sen. Tom Carper was also at the elementary school. In some form or fashion, Carper has been a statewide elected official since 1976, when he was first elected state treasurer. He is not seeking re-election this year, choosing instead to retire. 

“Hi, my name is Tom Carper, and I’m not running for office,” said Carper to a number of people who made their way to the entrance of the polling location.

Despite being told by a woman that she was definitely not voting for any Democrats immediately prior to taking questions, Carper said people have been very nice.

“If I knew people were going to be this nice to me, I’d have quit a lot sooner,” said Carper.

Republican candidate for Senate District 6 Kim Hoey-Stevenson was also at Rehoboth Beach Elementary this morning. 

Other than the typical level of security – closed gates and security personnel in a booth inside those gates – it’s quiet at President Joe Biden’s beach house in North Shores. For the past four years, North Shores, Rehoboth Beach and the greater Cape Region community has served as the president’s summer getaway. No matter what happens at a national level, the area’s designation as a presidential retreat will end in the not-too-distant future.