April Chair’s Message

Posted on 03-24-2023

 March 24, 2023

Greetings fellow Republicans,

I’m sending my April message out early because we are changing the date of our April meeting to April 3rd.  We will gavel at 6:30 PM as usual.  I realize this is the same evening as the 41st District Republican Club PAC, but we were unable to secure the church any other evening that week.  We believe meeting on Easter Monday would put unnecessary burden on family time during the holiday.  Many of you will be traveling over the Easter Holiday and others will likely have guests visiting who want to share our lovely Spring weather.  So mark your calendars!

NEWS!

Kellyanne Conway will be the speaker at the Annual State Party Dinner on April 28th!  The dinner will be held at the Modern Maturity Center, 1121 Forrest Avenue, Dover, DE.  Tickets are $90 pp.

Jane Brady is running for re-election as the Chair of the Delaware GOP.  As of today, her only challenger is Julianne Murray.   The election will take place on April 29th at the Convention.

SCHOOL BOARDS ELECTIONS – MAY 9TH

Next month we are focused on School Boards.  Our guest speaker on 4/3 is Tanya Hettler, PhD.  Dr. Hettler is the Director of Caesar Rodney’s Center for Educational Excellence and the author of the recently published children’s book, Nary the Right Whale.  This well illustrated book addresses the challenges of whales and other sea creatures in the presence of off-shore wind farms.

We will also hear from Delmar School Board candidate, Shane Bowden.

As you are aware, School Board voter turnout is traditionally low.  I’ve heard some in my age group say they are disinterested since they don’t have any school-aged children and it really doesn’t affect them. Nothing could be further from the truth!   These Boards have a great deal of power from curricula to budget.  Because 90% of your property taxes go to the School System, the School Board actions can and have affected your property taxes.  We must support candidates who will focus on “traditional” education and not the separation of our children by skin color, language, sexual orientation or ethnicity. 

In addition, recently, there has been an increase in violence in classrooms and on school buses. These incidents set up a hostile learning environment for those students who are interested getting an education.  We need Board members who are going to address the lack of discipline in schools.  Teachers and bus drivers should not have to tolerate or try to mediate these episodes. 

Here are the Sussex County School Board Candidates and their contact information.  If you have any questions, I encourage you to reach out to the candidate.  Please note:  the larger School Districts – Cape Henlopen and Indian River have “Nominating Districts.”  In both of these, the candidate must live in the Nominating District for the seat that is being sought. 

For Cape Henlopen, even if you do not live in that “Nominating District,” you may vote for the candidate running in ANY Nominating District in the Cape Henlopen School District.  That is not the case in the Indian River School District.  Only those living in the Nominating District in contention may vote for those candidates. If you are uncertain of your School District please check:  https://gis.elections.delaware.gov/

Cape Henlopen Nominating District A (Note:  Anyone living in the Cape Henlopen School District may vote for these candidates.  Shawn spoke at our Region Meeting on March 13th)

Shawn Lovenguth

guff4cape2023@gmail.com

302-381-381-4133

Jessica A. Tyndall

Email:  jessica@tyndals.org

302-851-4142

Delmar – At Large. (Note:  Shane will be speaking at our April 3rd Region Meeting)

Shane Bowden
email: bowdenconstructionde@gmail.com
Phone: (410) 726-6427

Dawn M. Turner

Email:  Dawn4Delmar@gmail.com

410-726-2184

Indian River School District (Note:  Nominating Districts 2 and 3.  You must live in the same Nominating District to vote for the candidate running in that district.  We will have a statement from Michael Bellerose at our Region Meeting on 4/3.  He is an airline pilot and will be out of the country that night.)

District 2

Michael R. Bellerose

Email: Michael@DrBE.org

Phone: (603) 391-8685

Leo J. Darmstadter, III

Email:  Ljdiii20@hotmail.com

856-207-7955

Ivan D Neal

Email:  Ivanneal7@gamil.com

302-933-0430

District 3

Leolga T. Wright

Email:  leolgawright@gamil.com

302-945-0830

Laurel At Large

Ivy Bonk
Email: Ivy@everychildwhole.com
Phone: (302) 245-0479

Sabrina Isler

Taylorisler427@comcast.net

302-875-0503

Seaford At Large

Armore Rice
Phone: (302) 344-3276

Stephanie Smith

Ssg9922@comcast.net

302-841-8244

David Tull
Email: davidtull13@gmail.com
Phone: (302) 745-2849

There are a few ways to vote in these elections.  I am attaching the link to the absentee ballot request for School Board Elections.  If you are unable to get to your polling place to vote in person on May 9th, you may download and print the request for an absentee ballot here:  https://elections.delaware.gov/pubs/pdfs/absentee_ballot_application_school_elections.pdf

please complete the application and send it to:

Department of Elections

119 N. Race Street

Georgetown, DE. 19947

  • Submit your application for an absentee ballot by Noon on May 5th at the latest!  Return it to the Department of Elections by 8 PM on May 9th
  • You may vote at the Department of Elections between 8:30 AM and noon on May 8th
  • You may vote in person at the following locations.

IN PERSON VOTING LOCATIONS:  MAY 9, 2023 – 7 AM – 8 PM

CAPE HENLOPEN

CAPE HENLOPEN HIGH SCHOOL

1250 KINGS HWY, LEWES, DE  19958

MARINER MIDDLE SCHOOL

16391 HARBESON RD, MILTON, DE 19968

REJOBOTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

500 STOCKLEY ST, REHOBOTH, DE 19971

LEWES FIRE HALL

347 SAVANNAH ROAD, LEWES, DE 19958

DELMAR

DELMAR HIGH SCHOOL

200 N. 8TH STREET, DELMAR, DE 19940

3C USA CHURCH

38238 OLD STAGE ROAD, DELMAR, DE 19940

GEORGETOWN

GEORGETOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

301-A WEST MARKET ST.  GEORGETOWN, DE 19966

MILLSBORO MIDDLE SCHOOL

302 E. STATE STREET, MILLSBORO, DE 19966

LAUREL

LAUREL HIGH SCHOOL

1133 S. CENTRAL AVE, LAUREL, DE 19956

LAUREL FIRE DEPARTMENT

205 W. 10TH STREET, LAUREL, DE 19956

SEAFORD

SEAFORD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

399 N. MARKET STREET, EXT, SEAFORD, DE 19963

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS WAREHOUSE

200 ALLEN ST, SEAFORD, DE 19973

Please, please vote in the School Board Elections!  These elections are more important now than ever before!