Overview:
Delaware Electric Cooperative’s 2026 Annual Meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 11 at Memorial Hall (formerly the Centre Ice Rink) at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. After years of increasing costs, DEC has made the difficult decision to end the community fair and chicken dinner members have become accustomed to. As the Co-op works to maintain some of the lowest electric rates in the region and excellent reliability, DEC will host a more cost-effective annual meeting that will provide members with ice cream and cookies and a chance to learn about their Co-op through various displays. While we understand that many will miss the traditional dinner, fair and entertainment, we remain focused on making responsible financial decisions in the best interest of the 122,000 members we serve. Our annual meeting begins with registration and ice cream at 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall. The business meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the same building. Our annual meeting is a chance to meet DEC employees and learn about how our not-for-profit utility powers Kent and Sussex Counties.
Schedule of Events:
The Annual Meeting of Delaware Electric Cooperative will be held this year at Memorial Hall at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, with registration to open at 5:30 p.m. The Business Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Action will be taken on the following matters:
(1) Registration of members attending the meeting.
(2) Report of officers.
(3) In connection with the election of four (4) Directors scheduled for this meeting, the following candidates for Director of Cooperative District Numbers 2, 5, 8 and At-Large 2 have been nominated by petition pursuant to the Bylaws.
Since there are no contested director elections, and no proposed bylaw amendments, in order to save considerable time and expense, the election of directors for this meeting will be by voice vote during the business meeting rather than by written ballot or voting machines. Below are the candidates running unopposed for office.
District 2: Bruce Walton Magnolia
District 5: Mark Abbott Georgetown
District 8: Bill Haughey Long Neck
At-Large 2: Jeff Chorman Milford
(4) All other business which may properly come before said meeting or any adjournment thereof.
Tuesday, August 11
Delaware State Fairgrounds
- Memorial Hall, 5:30 P.M.
Registration
Determination of Quorum
Ice Cream Social
Co-op Educational Displays - Memorial Hall, 7:00 p.m.
Business Meeting
Invocation
Introduction of Guests
Reading of Notice of Meeting
Proof of Mailing
Minutes of Last Annual Meeting
Chair’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
President and CEO’s Report
Election of Board of Directors
Unfinished Business
New Business
Q&A Session
Drawing of Electric Bill Credits
Adjournment
Director Elections:
Our Cooperative’s strength is found in our business model, which provides for democratic control of DEC. Our board is elected by those we power, and each director is a Co-op member. In connection with the election of four (4) Directors scheduled for this meeting, the following candidates for Director of Cooperative District Numbers 2, 5, 8 and At-Large 2 have been nominated by petition pursuant to the Bylaws. The following candidates are running unopposed for office -- election of directors will be via voice vote at the annual meeting.
DISTRICT 2 - Bruce Walton
Bruce Walton retired as a Brigadier General with the Delaware National Guard after 36 years of service. He is a past member of the Caesar Rodney School Board, was the Deputy Principal Assistant to the Delaware Secretary of Agriculture from 1998 to 2005 and has a broad background in agricultural and community service. Memberships include the Delaware and Kent County Farm Bureaus, Delaware Fruit Growers Association and Gideon’s International. Mr. Walton has completed the Credentialed Cooperative Director program and the Director Gold program.
DISTRICT 5 - Mark Abbott
During his time representing DEC members, Mark has worked hard to ensure DEC’s rates remain among the lowest in the state and advocated for investments that have led to record safety and reliability for DEC members. He has also voted to return millions of dollars to members in the form of billing credits. Mark has earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credential Cooperative Director Certificate and sits on the Safety and Audit committees. His goals are to encourage DEC’s leaders to invest in diverse and affordable power generation sources, maintain strong support of DEC’s Beat the Peak Program and continue his education in the rapidly changing utility industry. Mark is a retired 30-year public school teacher. He resides in Georgetown, where he graduated from Sussex Central and is an alumnus of both Messiah University and Delaware State University.
DISTRICT 8 - Bill Haughey
William Haughey, Jr. retired after 15 years as the Executive Director & Community Manager with Tunnell Companies, L.P. in Long Neck, DE. He previously had a 28-year banking career in the Kent and Sussex County areas. Mr. Haughey previously served on the Sussex County Advisory Board of WSFS Bank, as Vice President & Southern Regional Executive with the Bank of Delaware and PNC Bank and as a Vice President with Delaware Trust Company. He is a native Delawarean and graduate of Milford High School. Mr. Haughey has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Delaware and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Wilmington University. Mr. Haughey has attained the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certification, the Board Leadership Certificate and three Director Gold Certificates. Most recently, he completed a course on artificial intelligence and electric cooperatives.
At-Large 2 - Jeff Chroman
Jeff Chorman is a native Delawarean, agricultural business owner and dedicated public servant with deep roots in Southern Delaware. As owner and operator of Chorman’s Aerial Spraying, he has spent decades supporting local farmers and understanding the challenges facing Delaware agriculture. A graduate of Cape Henlopen High School, Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, combining his passion for aviation with agricultural service. He previously served six years on the Sussex County Board of Adjustment, including three years as chairman. Jeff has served on the Delaware Electric Cooperative Member Committee and the Delaware Electric Cooperative Board of Directors for the past two years. Jeff lives in Milford with his wife and two daughters.
Watch the Annual Meeting:
To watch the business meeting live at 7:00 p.m. on August 11th, please follow this link. Members can also listen to the meeting by calling 1-689-278-1000. Enter webinar ID: 950 3959 8712 and enter passcode: 119764.