For the second year in a row, Rachel Macha is running for Rehoboth Beach commissioner. She filed her paperwork with the city June 3.

"I have enjoyed serving Rehoboth Beach, and I am passionate about the vitality of Rehoboth and continuing to improve the experience of residents, businesses and property owners,” said Macha, in an email June 5. “When I ran for commissioner last year, I enjoyed hearing from residents and businesses and was thrilled to learn that, for the most part, citizens and business owners love Rehoboth.”

Macha has been a member of the city’s planning commission for nearly three years, and a member of the parks and shade tree commission for longer. She has been actively working on the city’s 2020 Comprehensive Development Plan as well as many other land-use projects while on the planning commission. Also, she said, she partnered with Rehoboth Beach Main Street and City Manager Sharon Lynn to develop the Respect Rehoboth marketing campaign during COVID.  

Macha and her husband Rich have been Rehoboth residents for 21 years. They have five children – a set of triplets, 23, and a set of twins, 21. Macha said she’s been coming to Rehoboth since she was a little girl and has decades of great memories of Rehoboth.

“I feel blessed that my five kids grew up coming to Rehoboth in the summer, enjoyed Sea Witch and holiday tree lighting for many years, and began working in Rehoboth at the age of 14. I have two college-age kids working at Obie's again this summer," said Macha.

Macha is a business executive in the software/technology industry focused on customer experience and holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University.  She said she has maintained balance in her life with family, work and community by working with city government, homeowner associations, church, schools and charity organizations.

Macha said if elected, she will preserve and protect Rehoboth’s sense of place and the environment, and enhance infrastructure to better serve the community's needs. She said she is committed to aligning action items with the top goals and objectives of the CDP, and leveraging her marketing, communications and customer-focus experiences to listen, learn and consider all viewpoints fairly. She said she wants to provide sensible, principled leadership, and promote transparent and fair government.

“I am energized by the opportunity to serve Rehoboth as a commissioner and promise to 'Seek to Understand' the concerns of residents and businesses, solicit ideas to improve our city and problem solve to sustain the vitality of our wonderful community,” Macha said. 

There will be an election in 2021

The filing deadline for Rehoboth’s 2021 municipal election was 4:30 p.m., Monday, June 7, which is after the print deadline for the Tuesday edition of the Cape Gazette. However, there will be an election. Timothy Bennett filed his candidate paperwork June 5. Suzanne Goode and former Commissioner Toni Sharp filed June 7. There will be more information on the candidates in the Friday, June 11 issue of the Gazette. 

Voting information

Rehoboth Beach’s 2021 municipal election is scheduled to take place Saturday, Aug. 14. Absentee ballots will be available beginning Wednesday, June 30. Ballots will be sent to everyone who has an absentee ballot request form on file. The deadline for the city to mail ballots is Tuesday, Aug. 10. Ballots must be received by mail or in person before the polls close on the day of the election.

To be eligible to vote, a person must register on or before Thursday, July 15. Any qualified elector may request an absentee ballot to vote by filing a request for an absentee ballot form no later than noon, Friday, Aug. 13. For more information, contact Donna Moore at 302-227-6181, Ext. 108, or go to cityofrehoboth.com.