County
County Council, Sussex County
District 5
- Vote for
- 1
- Term
- 4 years
- Candidates
- 2
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
What this office does: A county council member is one of the five members of Sussex County's governing body, which sets the county budget, taxes and land-use rules.
Taxes & budget
Jill HicksDemocratic
No documented position found.
John L. RieleyRepublican
- Supported budgets with no property tax increase since 2018
Public safety
Jill HicksDemocratic
No documented position found.
John L. RieleyRepublican
- Supported more funding for libraries, fire companies, police
Education
Jill HicksDemocratic
- Supports public education and emergency services
John L. RieleyRepublican
No documented position found.
Housing
Jill HicksDemocratic
- Supports livable and affordable communities
John L. RieleyRepublican
- Supported rewriting the county workforce rental ordinance
Roads & infrastructure
Jill HicksDemocratic
- Supports infrastructure keeping pace with development
John L. RieleyRepublican
No documented position found.
Environment & parks
Jill HicksDemocratic
- Supports preserving farmland and open space
- Supports stricter forest preservation rules than adopted
John L. RieleyRepublican
- Voted for the county's first forest preservation ordinance
- Voted for forested buffers to cut inland bay runoff
- Secured farmland and open space preservation via Sussex Land Trust
Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.