DOVER, Del. (AP) - Democratic Party voters in Delaware are set to decide whether the incumbent state auditor, who is awaiting sentencing on criminal charges for corruption, deserves a chance at reelection in November.
The Democratic primary for auditor is the only statewide race on Tuesday’s ballot, which also features several legislative contests. Delaware's primary is part of the last round of contests ahead of the November elections.
Auditor Kathy McGuiness was convicted in July of three misdemeanors stemming from the hiring of her daughter in her office. The crimes - official misconduct, conflict of interest and noncompliance with procurement rules - carry presumptive sentences of probation.
However, the jury found her not guilty of two felony charges, theft and witness intimidation. The judge later tossed the procurement conviction, but upheld the other two convictions.
McGuiness is being challenged by Lydia York, an attorney who has been endorsed by the state Democratic party and was one of its presidential electors in 2016. McGuiness is the first statewide elected official in Delaware convicted on criminal charges while in office.
Campaign finance reports show York is raising and spending more money than McGuiness in their primary contest. As of Sept. 5, York reported raising $62,415 and spending $62,095.26 since establishing a campaign committee in late May, while McGuiness reported raising $33,770 since January and spending $43,574.19.
“McGuiness has got legal issues ... It seems pretty serious,” said Melanie Eleuterio, 69, a retired school psychologist from Magnolia who voted for York.
In a surprise visit, President Joe Biden traveled to Delaware to vote in his home state Tuesday. Delaware allows for vote by mail, but presidents often return home to cast their ballot in person.
Even before Delawareans began heading to the polls, thousands had already cast ballots. Almost 12,000 absentee and vote-by-mail ballots had been returned by Tuesday afternoon, and more than 4,800 people took advantage of early in-person voting under a law that came into effect this year.
A total of about 45,500 votes had been cast as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, state election officials said. That's only a fraction of the 362,000 registered Democrats and more than 209,350 registered Republicans eligible to vote in Delaware’s closed primary.
In other races Tuesday, there's a five-way Democratic primary in state Senate District 14 to replace Bruce Ennis of Smyrna, who is retiring after 40 years in the legislature. Ennis has been a lone conservative Democratic voice in the state Senate for years. On the Republican side, Dover-area incumbent Sen. Colin Bonini faces two primary challengers in District 16 as he tries to keep the seat he has held for 27 years.
“If it ain't broke, don't fix it,” said Jeff Collins, a Dover pastor who voted for Bonini.
In the state House, six Democratic incumbents, including two members of a progressive wave that shook up the party in 2020, are facing primary challengers. There's also a four-way Democratic primary for the Dover seat left open by Rep. Andria Bennett’s retirement. Rep. Bryan Shupe of Milford is the only House Republican facing a primary challenge.
Regardless of Tuesday’s results, there is little danger that Democrats will lose control of the House or Senate in November.
