Today members of the Delaware House are expected to vote on HS 1 for HB 121, a bill recently reintroduced by state Rep. Daniel Short that would allow artificial entities like corporations, LLCs, and trusts to participate in Seaford’s municipal elections.

Common Cause Delaware strongly opposes this controversial bill and urges lawmakers to vote no. 

Statement from Claire Snyder-Hall, executive director of Common Cause Delaware: 

“‘One person, one vote’ is a long agreed upon principle that governs our elections. Proponents of this bill have tried to frame this as an innocuous way to give business owners more power, but in reality, this legislation has the power to transform our elections for the worse.

“In tandem with Delaware’s lenient incorporation regulations, this legislation could give LLCs, trusts, and outsiders the power to dominate Seaford’s elections. Artificial entities should not have voting rights. While HS 1 for HB 121 does not allow Seaford residents who own businesses to vote twice, it allows non-resident business owners to vote twice – once where they live and a second time in Seaford, where they do not live.

“We urge legislators to consider the dramatic negative impact that this bill could have.” 

Snyder-Hall’s previous testimony on this legislation is available here. She is available for interviews on this issue at csnyder-hall@commoncause.org.