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New Castle County, Delaware
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==Government== ===County government=== ====County executive==== The county is headed by a [[county executive]], currently Marcus Henry. The chief administrative officer, who is the county's second-in-command, is appointed by the county executive and serves at his or her pleasure. Mona Parikh was appointed CAO in January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 7, 2018|title=New Castle County names Vanessa Phillips as chief administrative officer|url=https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/new-castle-county-names-vanessa-phillips-chief-administrative-officer/|access-date=October 20, 2020|website=Delaware Business Times|language=en-US}}</ref> ====County offices==== The New Castle County government maintains the New Castle County Government Center in an unincorporated area; it has a New Castle postal address.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastlede.gov/|title=Home|publisher=New Castle County|access-date=2025-03-30|quote=New Castle County Government Center 87 Read’s Way New Castle, DE 19720}} - Compare to: {{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st10_de/county/c10003_new_castle/DC20BLK_C10003.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): New Castle County, DE|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=April 12, 2021|page=12 (PDF p. 13/45)|accessdate=2021-06-30}} - White means an unincorporated area</ref> The facility opened in May 1997 after it acquired the facility from [[Wilmington Trust]]. Previously these county offices were at the Louis L. Redding City/County Building, with some others in the County Engineering Building. The latter building is no longer in use. By 1998 the majority of the county employees were based at the Government Center.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Dennis, Jr.|title=NCCo Center too secure, some charge|newspaper=[[The News Journal]]|date=1998-07-05|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/169236592/ B1]-[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/169236693/ B2]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The Redding Building was built in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wilmingtondewater.gov/facilities/facility/details/City-County-Building-1|title=City / County Building|publisher=Wilmington Water Utility (.gov)|access-date=2025-03-30}}</ref> The city/county council chambers are at Redding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastlede.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/ArchivedAgenda/_07232019-1312|title=NEW CASTLE COUNTY COUNCIL Louis L. Redding City/County Building City/County Council Chambers 800 French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 July 23, 2019|publisher=New Castle County|access-date=2025-03-30}}</ref> ====County Council==== {{anchor|New Castle County Council}} The county's legislative body is a thirteen-member [[county council]], consisting of twelve members elected by district and one president elected at large.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} New Castle County, DE - Official Website|url=https://www.nccde.org/421/Members|access-date=July 18, 2020|website=www.nccde.org}}</ref> The council is tasked with drafting laws and managing county government services, [[public health]] ordinances, [[land use]], transportation, and [[zoning]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=County Council {{!}} New Castle County, DE - Official Website|url=https://nccde.org/226/County-Council|access-date=July 18, 2020|website=nccde.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Our Campaigns - United States - Delaware - DE Counties - New Castle - County Council| url= https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerDetail.html?ContainerID=29261| access-date=July 18, 2020|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last=Milford| first=Maureen| date=April 8, 1990| title=National Notebook: Middleton, Del.; Annexing Farmland| language=en-US| work=The New York Times| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/08/realestate/national-notebook-middletown-del-annexing-farmland.html |access-date=July 18, 2020| issn=0362-4331}}</ref> New Castle County Council doubled in size to thirteen from seven members in 2004. Its most famous council member was [[Joe Biden]], the 46th [[president of the United States]], who represented the 4th district from 1971 to 1973.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Harriman| first=Jane| url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=8326887| title=Joe Biden: Hope for Democratic Party in '72?| date=December 31, 1969| access-date=October 19, 2020| publisher=The News Journal| page=3| language=en| website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Current county council members are:<ref>{{Cite web | title=County Council {{!}} New Castle County, DE - Official Website| url=https://nccde.org/226/County-Council| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020004655/https://nccde.org/226/County-Council| archive-date=October 20, 2020| access-date=October 20, 2020| website=nccde.org}}</ref> * District 1: Brandon Toole (D) * District 2: Dee Durham (D) * District 3: Janet Kilpatrick (D) * District 4: Penrose Hollins (D) * District 5: Valerie George (D) * District 6: David Carter (D) * District 7: George Smiley (D) * District 8: John J. Cartier (D) * District 9: Timothy P. Sheldon (D) * District 10: Jea P. Street (D) * District 11: David L. Tackett (D) * District 12: Kevin Caneco (D) * At Large: Karen Hartley-Nagle (D), President ====County judiciary==== As with Delaware's other two counties, New Castle County has no judiciary of its own. All judicial functions, except for Alderman's Courts, are managed and funded by the state of [[Delaware]]. In New Castle County, only the cities of Newport and Newark have alderman's courts. These courts have jurisdiction over driving offenses, misdemeanor criminal charges, and minor civil claims. ====County row offices==== The county retains the concept of "row offices" from Pennsylvania, so-called because all of these county offices could be found in a row in smaller courthouses. In Delaware, these offices are [[Clerk of the Peace|clerk of the peace]], [[Recorder of Deeds|recorder of deeds]], register of wills, and [[sheriff]]. The office of clerk of the peace is unique among the 50 states; the office-holder's function is almost exclusively to perform marriages. The current incumbent is Kenneth W. Boulden Jr. (D) The [[Recorder of Deeds|recorder of deeds]] is Michael Kozikowski (D). His office is responsible for receiving and recording [[deed]]s, [[mortgage law|mortgages]] and satisfactions thereof, assignments, commissions of [[judge]]s, [[notary public|notaries]], and military officers. The recorder of deeds' office is heavily computerized; electronic images of all recent documents and many others are available the office is in the process of imaging further back with the eventual goal of all documents in the office's possession being available electronically. Computerized indexing and searching is also available.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncc-deeds.com/ |title=New Castle County Recorder of Deeds Public Web Access |publisher=Ncc-deeds.com |date=May 1, 2007 |access-date=August 20, 2011 |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516050330/http://www.ncc-deeds.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The register of wills is Ciro Poppiti, III. His office receives and records [[will (law)|will]]s and small-estate affidavits upon an individual's death, and issues [[letters of administration]] to estate [[executor]]s. The [[sheriff]] of New Castle County has two divisions, criminal and civil. The criminal division is based in the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington. The deputies assigned to this division organize and manage [[Mittimusses|capias]] returns. They also transport prisoners for Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. The civil division serves legal process, performs levies & impounds and sells property in satisfaction of [[Judgment (law)|judgment]]s. The civil division also locates and apprehends individuals wanted for civil capias. The current sheriff is Scott T. Phillips. ====County zoning and public works==== New Castle County has a strong [[zoning]] code, known as the Unified Development Code, or UDC. The UDC was developed by the Gordon Administration in response to public perception of over- and misdevelopment in the county. New building projects must go through a process of application and approval before construction is permitted to begin. By operation of state law, New Castle County has no responsibility whatsoever for maintenance of [[roadway]]s. Public roadways are maintained exclusively by the Delaware Department of Transportation, while roadways within neighborhoods and developments are, pursuant to County code, maintained by homeowners' or neighborhood associations. The Department of Public Works maintains essential infrastructure elements such as sanitary sewers and drainage ways. It also maintains County-owned parks and buildings such as County libraries. It does not maintain the water distribution system, which is owned and operated by several private companies. In general, it also does not maintain stormwater management facilities within subdivisions. ====County public safety==== Access to [[9-1-1|911 emergency services]] is provided by New Castle County through their emergency communications center for all fire/rescue/emergency medical services (EMS) throughout the county and the majority of police services, though Newark, Wilmington, and the University of Delaware maintain their own police emergency call centers. New Castle County has its own nationally accredited police department. The [[New Castle County Police Department]] is the second largest police organization in the state of Delaware. New Castle County maintains a county wide police force with authorization to enforce laws throughout the county, including within incorporated municipalities. The county police force is supported by local municipality police agencies in [[Middletown, Delaware|Middletown]], [[Newark, Delaware|Newark]], [[Delaware City]], [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]], [[Newport, Delaware|Newport]], [[Elsmere, Delaware|Elsmere]], the city of [[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]], the [[University of Delaware]], as well as the [[Delaware State Police]]. New Castle County also operates a nationally accredited, county-run paramedic service through its [http://ems.newcastlede.gov Emergency Medical Services Division]. NCC*EMS is the advanced life support (ALS) component of a two-tiered, paramedic intercept EMS system. County paramedics are located in eight full-time stations and one part-time station that operates during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a capability of calling in additional personnel during major emergencies or planned events. Basic life support (BLS) ambulance service is provided primarily by volunteer fire companies with the use of paid employees that are trained in fire suppression and EMS. Fire/Rescue protection is provided by twenty-one volunteer [[Fire Departments in Delaware|fire departments]] throughout the county. The city of Wilmington has its own career municipal fire department and contracts with a private ambulance service for basic life support coverage. The contracted private ambulance service in Wilmington operates in a tiered response configuration with the New Castle County Paramedics. The Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building, located in [[Minquadale]] off of [[U.S. Route 13 in Delaware#New Castle County|US 13]], houses the New Castle County Police and Emergency Medical Services Division Headquarters and the emergency communications center supporting 9-1-1 services.<ref name=taylor2012newsjournal>{{Citation |last=Taylor |first=Adam |date=May 5, 2012 |title=Poor air conditioning jeopardizes 911 calls |newspaper=[[The News Journal]] |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120505/NEWS/205050310/Poor-air-conditioning-jeopardizes-911-calls |access-date=May 5, 2012 }}</ref> The present building opened in 2007 with a construction cost of {{currency|50 million}}.<ref name=taylor2012newsjournal/> The Headquarters occupied a former [[elementary school]] building on the same site prior to erection of the current building.<ref name=taylor2012newsjournal/> ===Federal government=== New Castle is a strongly Democratic county. Because its population is almost double the combined population of Kent and Sussex, the winner in New Castle County has also won Delaware overall in each of the last eighteen presidential elections. In 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2016, the Republican candidate carried Kent and Sussex, only to lose New Castle by double digits–enough of a margin to swing the entire state to the Democrats. New Castle was a bellwether from 1936 to 1996, as it backed the national winner in every presidential election. It became the longest-running national bellwether after 1996, when [[Okanogan County, Washington]], voted for [[Bob Dole]]. In 2000, [[Valencia County, New Mexico]] became the longest presidential bellwether. Former governor [[Ronald Reagan]] won the county by just one vote over President [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1980. The county was won by the Republican presidential candidate from 1980 through 1988. This changed when Bill Clinton won the county in 1992 and, like many urban counties, New Castle stayed Democratic ever since. {{PresHead|place=New Castle County, Delaware|source1=<ref>{{cite web|title = Dave Leip's Atlas of United States Presidential Elections | access-date = November 10, 2024 | url = http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/}}</ref>}} The county warmly supported former senator and Wilmington resident [[Joe Biden]] as [[Barack Obama]]'s running mate in 2008 and 2012, and during his own bid for president in 2020, each time with well over 65 percent of the vote–more than enough to carry Delaware. <!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} --> {{PresRow|2024|Democratic|90,868|180,700|5,291|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2020|Democratic|88,364|195,034|4,235|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2016|Democratic|85,525|162,919|14,535|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2012|Democratic|81,230|167,082|3,700|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2008|Democratic|74,608|178,768|3,245|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2004|Democratic|93,079|146,179|2,269|Delaware}} {{PresRow|2000|Democratic|78,587|127,539|6,934|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1996|Democratic|60,943|98,837|19,766|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|66,311|91,516|38,990|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1988|Republican|92,587|79,147|1,269|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|102,322|76,238|517|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|76,898|76,897|14,632|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|80,074|87,521|2,743|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|100,681|70,190|2,085|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1968|Republican|70,014|68,468|17,931|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|54,767|91,752|374|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|69,284|73,364|326|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1956|Republican|71,133|56,405|275|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1952|Republican|62,658|58,387|351|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|47,451|48,117|1,433|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|37,783|49,588|318|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|41,508|52,167|0|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|37,851|47,315|600|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1932|Republican|39,844|32,872|1,393|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1928|Republican|47,641|22,464|307|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1924|Republican|35,427|17,842|4,582|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1920|Republican|36,600|24,252|1,939|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1916|Republican|16,666|14,894|916|Delaware}} {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|8,340|13,009|8,035|Delaware}} |} ===State government=== The [[Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families]] (DSCYF) has its headquarters in the Delaware Youth and Family Center (DYFC), located in [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] New Castle County, near [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]].<ref>"[http://kids.delaware.gov/contact.shtml Contact Information]." [[Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://kids.delaware.gov/locations.shtml#DYFC Office locations]." [[Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> Several DSCYF juvenile facilities, including the New Castle County Detention Center (NCCDC),<ref>"[http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_nccdc/yrs_nccdc.shtml New Castle County Detention Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810003529/http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_nccdc/yrs_nccdc.shtml |date=August 10, 2010 }}." [[Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> the Ferris School for Boys,<ref>"[http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_ferris/yrs_ferris.shtml Ferris School for Boys] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810003527/http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_ferris/yrs_ferris.shtml |date=August 10, 2010 }}." Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> and the Grace and Snowden Cottages are in unincorporated New Castle County.<ref>"[http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_gracesnowden/yrs_GraceWebPage.shtml Grace/Snowden Cottages] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810003524/http://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/yrs_gracesnowden/yrs_GraceWebPage.shtml |date=August 10, 2010 }}." [[Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> Several [[Delaware Department of Correction]] facilities are located in the county. The [[James T. Vaughn Correctional Center]] (JTVCC), formerly the Delaware Correctional Center, is a men's prison in unincorporated New Castle County, housing sentenced prisoners; Vaughn opened in 1971.<ref>"[http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonDCC.shtml James T. Vaughn Correctional Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123045822/http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonDCC.shtml |date=January 23, 2013 }}." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> The [[Howard R. Young Correctional Institution]], renamed from Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility in 2004 and housing both pretrial and posttrial male prisoners, is located in [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]; it opened in 1982.<ref>"[http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonMPCJF.shtml Howard R. Young Correctional Institution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123045756/http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonMPCJF.shtml |date=January 23, 2013 }}." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> The [[Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution]], a women's prison housing pretrial and posttrial prisoners, is located in unincorporated New Castle County.<ref name="Baylorprofile">"[http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonBWCI.shtml Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123045753/http://doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonBWCI.shtml |date=January 23, 2013 }}." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://doc.delaware.gov/Directions%20to%20new%20entrance%20for%20Baylor.pdf Directions to the new entrance for the DELORES J. BAYLOR WOMEN'S CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103070934/http://www.doc.delaware.gov/Directions%20to%20new%20entrance%20for%20Baylor.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.doc.delaware.gov/Directions%20to%20new%20entrance%20for%20Baylor.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |date=November 3, 2010 }}." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 30, 2010.</ref> Baylor opened on December 29, 1991.<ref name="Baylorprofile"/> The Delaware male death row was in the JTVCC, while the female death row was in Baylor.<ref name="DelawareDR">"[http://www.doc.delaware.gov/information/deathrow_factsheet.shtml Death Row Fact Sheet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818231840/http://doc.delaware.gov/information/deathrow_factsheet.shtml |date=August 18, 2010 }}." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 16, 2010.</ref> Executions were to occur at JTVCC,<ref>"[http://www.doc.delaware.gov/BOP/PrisonDCC.shtml JAMES T VAUGHN CORRECTIONAL CENTER (formerly DELAWARE CORRECTIONAL CENTER)]." [[Delaware Department of Correction]]. Retrieved August 16, 2010.</ref> prior to the 2016 suspension of it by the [[Delaware Supreme Court]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Petrowich|first=Sarah|url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2024-06-27/legislators-approve-removing-the-death-penalty-from-delaware-law|title=Legislators approve removing the death penalty from Delaware law|publisher=[[Delaware Public Radio]]|date=2024-06-29|access-date=2024-06-29}}</ref> New Castle elects a substantial majority of the state legislature, with 27 state house districts and 17 state senate districts based in the county.
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