Lewes council, BPW election fields set
The deadline for candidates to file for the Lewes City Council and Lewes Board of Public Works elections has passed, and the fields for each race are set for the Saturday, May 8 election.
Seeking two three-year seats on city council are incumbent Robert Morgan, and challengers Carolyn Jones and Khalil Saliba. Deputy Mayor Bonnie Osler is not seeking re-election.
Four candidates are seeking three seats on the Board of Public Works. Incumbents Robert Kennedy, Thomas Panetta and Earl Webb will compete against challenger Richard Nichols for three-year terms.
The Greater Lewes Civic Coalition will host virtual candidate forums for both races – 6 p.m., Thursday, April 15, for Lewes BPW candidates and 6 p.m., Friday, April 16, for Lewes City Council hopefuls. Links to each virtual forum are available on the Greater Lewes Civic Coalition’s Facebook page or by emailing greaterlewes@gmail.com. The forums will be posted on the Facebook page after they have concluded for those unable to attend live.
Information about all candidates can be found on the Cape Gazette website, capegazette.com, and question-and-answer articles will be published prior to the election.
Voter eligibility differs for the two elections, and each requires separate registration.
For city council, only full-time Lewes residents age 18 and older are eligible. A person is removed from the city’s voter registration list if they have not voted in two consecutive elections – 2020 and 2014 are Lewes’ most recent elections. Absentee and mail-in ballots may be requested by calling city hall at 302-645-7777.
Those eligible to vote in the BPW election include individuals who are at least 18 years old and have been residents of the city or BPW customers under the jurisdiction of the city for at least 30 days prior to the election. Also eligible to vote are nonresident freeholders or leaseholders. Absentee ballots will be available to registered voters no earlier than Tuesday, April 13, and must be completed and returned no later than 6 p.m., Saturday, May 8. Call 302-645-6228 for more information.
The voter registration deadline for both elections is 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 23. A special Saturday registration will be held from 8 a.m. to noon, April 17, at the customer service window at Lewes City Hall, 114 E. Third St. Lewes BPW will also hold a Saturday registration event from 9 a.m. to noon, April 17, at the BPW office, 107 Franklin St.
Candidate forum links
Lewes City Council - 6 p.m., Friday, April 16 - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89610898819?pwd=RTJBT1JTNHdzYXI5NHZtYmtpUXFodz09
Lewes Board of Public Works - 6 p.m., Thursday, April 15 - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81830958609?pwd=cmtKa25CODFrWmt6ZGpnaWM3K0w0QT09
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
