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 and declining attendance, 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, voting for the Board of Directors 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. At our annual meeting, action will be taken on the following items: Registration of members attending the annual meeting; Report of officers; Election of four directors for districts two (2), five (5), eight (8) and At-Large 2; Any proposed Bylaw Amendments; All other business which may properly come before said meeting.
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. If you are interested in becoming a candidate for your Co-op’s Board of Directors, you must submit a petition to our office in Greenwood, DE by June 11. The petition must include 15 member signatures. This year, directorships are open in Districts two (2), five (5), eight (8) and At-Large 2. Below are the sections of DEC’s Bylaws concerning the election of board directors. To request a board petition and for other information about running for our board, please email Jeremy Tucker, Manager of Corporate Strategy and Engagement, at [email protected].
Article III
Section 3: Nomination and Election of Directors
(a) Any fifteen (15) or more members, acting together, may nominate a qualified candidate from any district of the Cooperative from which there is to be elected a member of the Board of Directors at the next meeting of the members held for that purpose. Such petition shall be in writing, signed by the members presenting such petition, and filed at the principal office of the Cooperative not less than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting at which such election is to be held. The Secretary shall promptly cause such petition to be posted at the principal office of the Cooperative and shall cause to be mailed with the notice of the meeting a statement of the number of directors to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates, arranged by districts. Only candidates who have been nominated by petition in accordance with this section shall be eligible for election. The members may, at any meeting at which a director or directors shall be removed as hereinbefore provided, elect a successor or successors thereto without compliance with the foregoing provisions with respect to nominations, except that the new directors must be bona fide domiciliaries in the same district as the directors in respect of whom the vacancy occurs. Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section, shall not affect, in any manner whatsoever, the validity of any election of directors.
(b) Election of directors (and amendments to the Bylaws) shall be by printed or electronic ballot or voting machines as determined by the Board of Directors; provided that if there are no contested directors’ seats and no proposed Bylaw amendments, election of directors may be conducted by voice vote or a show of hands. The ballots/voting machines shall list the candidates arranged by districts. Each member of the Cooperative authorized to vote shall be entitled to vote for one candidate from each district, for which a director is to be elected. The candidate from each district receiving the highest number of votes shall be considered elected as director.
(c) In the event that the votes counted at any meeting of the members for the election of a Director or amendment of the Bylaws results in a tie vote, such tie vote shall be decided by secret ballot of those sitting directors physically present at the meeting; except that no incumbent director shall be permitted to cast a vote regarding their own re-election.
Other Important Information:
Our business meeting will be streamed online on August 11 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Later this summer, we’ll post instructions for members on how to view the meeting on this webpage. In July, we’ll share with members the full slate of candidates running for the board, voting instructions and any proposed bylaws. If there is a contested board seat, members will be able to vote electronically, through mail-in paper ballot and in person.