County Council, Sussex County, District 5 · Delaware 2026 General Election

Jill Hicks

Democratic

Retired Wawa executive; former music teacher

The gist

Supports infrastructure keeping pace with development
Supports preserving farmland and open space
Supports livable and affordable communities
Supports public education and emergency services
Supports stricter forest preservation rules than adopted

More about Jill

View sources (2)

Supports infrastructure keeping pace with development
About - Elect Jill Hicks, Sussex County Council District 5
Campaign website · Friends of Jill Hicks · electjillhicks.com
“Ensure infrastructure keeps pace with development”
Supports preserving farmland and open space
About - Elect Jill Hicks, Sussex County Council District 5
Campaign website · Friends of Jill Hicks · electjillhicks.com
“Preserve farmland and open space”
Supports livable and affordable communities
About - Elect Jill Hicks, Sussex County Council District 5
Campaign website · Friends of Jill Hicks · electjillhicks.com
“Promote livable and affordable communities”
Supports public education and emergency services
About - Elect Jill Hicks, Sussex County Council District 5
Campaign website · Friends of Jill Hicks · electjillhicks.com
“Support public education and emergency services”
Supports stricter forest preservation rules than adopted
Sussex County approves forest preservation ordinance
News coverage · Cape Gazette · Sep 4, 2026 · capegazette.com
“While Hicks said she was glad to see the new rules approved, she believes they could have been stricter.”

John L. Rieley

RepublicanIncumbent

Sussex County Council vice president (District 5); farm owner

The gist

Voted for the county's first forest preservation ordinance
Voted for forested buffers to cut inland bay runoff
Supported budgets with no property tax increase since 2018
Supported more funding for libraries, fire companies, police
Secured farmland and open space preservation via Sussex Land Trust
Supported rewriting the county workforce rental ordinance

More about John

View sources (2)

Voted for the county's first forest preservation ordinance
Sussex County adopts forest preservation ordinance
News coverage · Cape Gazette · Sep 2, 2026 · capegazette.com
“Passing this ordinance was crucial to protecting one of the qualities that makes Sussex County such a special place”
Voted for forested buffers to cut inland bay runoff
Reelect John Rieley - John Rieley For County Council (archived copy)
Campaign website · John Rieley · web.archive.org
“Passed ordinances to increase forested buffers and reduce runoff into the inland bays”
Supported budgets with no property tax increase since 2018
Reelect John Rieley - John Rieley For County Council (archived copy)
Campaign website · John Rieley · web.archive.org
“No property tax increases since I have been elected”
Supported more funding for libraries, fire companies, police
Reelect John Rieley - John Rieley For County Council (archived copy)
Campaign website · John Rieley · web.archive.org
“Increased funding for libraries, fire companies and police coverage”
Secured farmland and open space preservation via Sussex Land Trust
Reelect John Rieley - John Rieley For County Council (archived copy)
Campaign website · John Rieley · web.archive.org
“Preserved 7,677 acres through Farmland Preservation and purchase of open space on the Board of Sussex Land Trust”
Supported rewriting the county workforce rental ordinance
Reelect John Rieley - John Rieley For County Council (archived copy)
Campaign website · John Rieley · web.archive.org
“Helped rewrite and improve the county workforce rental ordinance”