New law seeks to increase participation by allowing early, in-person voting

DOVER, Del. — On Sunday, the final day of the 2019 legislative session, Governor Carney signed legislation into law that seeks to increase voter participation in Delaware elections by allowing early, in-person voting.

House Bill 38, sponsored by Representative David Bentz, will allow registered Delaware voters to cast their ballots at polling places up to 10 days before Election Day. The measure will make it easier for all Delawareans to participate in elections.

“Voting is our most fundamental right as Delawareans and Americans,” said Governor Carney. “Regardless of zip code or party affiliation, we should make it easier for all Delawareans to cast their ballots, choose their elected officials, and participate in our democratic process. Thank you to Representative Bentz and other members of the General Assembly for their continued partnership, and for their leadership on this issue.”

“Voting is a fundamental part of our society. We should be doing everything in our power to make it easier for working Delawareans across the state to vote in our elections, because when everyone participates, we all stand to do better,” said Representative David Bentz, House Bill 38’s lead sponsor. “Early voting reduces stress on the voting system, creates shorter lines on Election Day, and increases access to voting as well as voter satisfaction. This new law will help increase voter turnout in our elections, which should always be a common goal.”  

“One of our top priorities this year was to enact meaningful election reform in Delaware and this is one of the bills that I’m most proud of,” said Senate Majority Leader Nicole Poore. “Right now, participating in the electoral process – the activity that supports our whole system of government – is limited to 13 hours on one day, every two years, and you absolutely have to be there in person or request an absentee ballot. We should be doing all we can to make voting easier and with this legislation Delaware takes a major step forward in that effort.”

“Families today face a number of demands, such as juggling childcare demands and simply trying to make ends meet,” said Senate co-prime sponsor Senator Bryan Townsend. “Thirty-five states, both red and blue, have recognized that fact and extended their voting periods to multiple days. We owe it to Delaware voters to make participating in democracy easier and I’m proud of my colleagues for coming together to support this important step.”

“By extending the voting period, we’re not only making it easier to cast a ballot but ensuring we have fairer elections in Delaware,” said fellow co-prime Senator Stephanie Hansen. “This measure will reduce lines at the polls. It will allow more time to discover and correct any issues with our new voting system. And it will make casting ballots easier and more convenient for the people we were elected to serve. That’s why 50 lawmakers – both Democrats and Republicans – voted to pass this measure and it’s why it was signed into law today.”

###

HCR 60 supports Governor Carney’s directive to create regulations

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney has directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to propose regulations by March 2020 that will eliminate the use of dangerous hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in Delaware. HFCs are used as replacements for ozone-depleting substances in air conditioning, refrigeration, foam-blowing, solvents, and aerosols, but they are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change.

Representative Debra Heffernan, Senator Nicole Poore, and Senator Stephanie Hansen introduced House Concurrent Resolution 60 supporting the regulations, joining Governor Carney to confront the impact of HFCs on climate change in our state and region:

“Delaware is already feeling the effects of climate change. We are the lowest-lying state in the country, and our sea level is rising at twice the global average. This is a real threat that we need to confront together, and it’s not just about the environmental impact in our state. Any changes in weather patterns jeopardize Delaware’s $8 billion agricultural industry and our $3.4 billion tourism economy. For the sake of our economy and our environment, it’s crucial we continue to address climate change with urgency,” said Governor Carney. “As Delaware continues our fight against climate change, my administration is moving toward eliminating hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as an increasingly harmful element to our state and our environment. HFCs are growing in the atmosphere at a rate of 8 percent a year and can be hundreds of times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change. That’s why I have directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to begin developing regulations that address HFC use in Delaware. We’re proud to have the support of members of the General Assembly in this effort, and I want to thank Representative Heffernan, Senator Poore, and Senator Hansen for their partnership on this issue.”

“We see the impacts of climate change nearly every single day, with stifling air pollution, rising flood waters and unpredictable, severe weather and climate events. When we have a chance to stand strong and combat this global threat head-on, we need to take it,” said Representative Debra Heffernan, the prime sponsor of HCR 60. “Man-made hydrofluorocarbons are damaging to our environment and quality of life, and they need to be regulated. I’m proud to stand with Governor Carney and DNREC on this issue, and work toward guidelines to regulate the production and consumption of this extremely dangerous substance for the benefit of all Delawareans.”

 “Protecting the health of every Delawarean is incredibly important to all of us and that includes the impact we are having on our environment,” said Senator Nicole Poore. “As a small state, we can’t reverse climate change alone. But we are eager to join with our neighbors to take a collective approach to improving our air quality and reversing sea level rise. Working together, we can make a real difference and this resolution is one, small step in the right direction.”

“When it comes to battling climate change, we must explore every tool available to us,” said Senator Stephanie Hansen. “HFCs were once hailed as more environmentally-friendly alternatives but new technologies being developed across the country and here in Delaware will allow us to further reduce the negative impact that these types of substances can have on our world. That’s an opportunity we must embrace and I look forward to working with DNREC once these regulations are developed.”

###

Reminder for the week: Observe safety precautions when towing water skiers, tubers, and knee-boarders

DOVER – To achieve public compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between June 17-23 made 2,210 contacts with anglers, boaters, and the general public, issuing 38 citations. Officers responded to 69 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. A Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Possession of undersized blue crabs (4), crab pot tampering (1), tending over-the-limit crab pots (2), possession of a prohibited shark (1), unlicensed fishing (1), and no Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number (2).

Boating & Boating Safety: No life jacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (4), operating a personal watercraft without required life jackets (2), jumping the wake of another vessel (1), waterskiing in a prohibited area (1)*, negligent operation of a motor vessel (1), failure to observe slow no wake (4), no boat ramp certificate (1), no boating education certificate (2), and operating an unregistered vessel (2)*.

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (8)* and littering (1)*.

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or through the DENRP Tip app on a smartphone, which can be downloaded free of charge by searching “DENRP Tip” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to http://de.gov/ogt, or using the DENRP Tip app. Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters of some important safety regulations when towing water skiers, tubers, or knee-boarders:
• Requires at least three participants – the water skier, the boat operator, and a competent observer.
• Personal watercraft (PWC) used for towing skiers, tubers, or knee boarders must have enough seats – minimum of three – to carry the operator, observer, and skier.
• Recreational water skiers, tubers, and knee-boarders must wear lifejackets at all times.
• Operators and passengers of a personal watercraft, regardless of age, must wear lifejackets at all times.
• A tow line cannot exceed 75 feet in length.
• Observe all “slow-no-wake” areas.
• Avoid traveling at unsafe speeds, including in congested areas.
• Observe marked “No Water Skiing” areas, which include all marked swimming areas, Assawoman Canal, Rehoboth-Lewes Canal and portions of Indian River Inlet, Roosevelt Inlet, Whites Creek, and the channel through Masseys Landing.
• Maintain a safe and reasonable distance from shipping lanes, other vessels, persons, and property.
• Water skiing is prohibited at night between sunset and sunrise, and within 100 feet of persons in the water, piers, docks, floats, wharfs, vessels anchored or adrift, and private or public boat launch ramps.

To report boating, fisheries, and wildlife violations, please call the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police 24-hour dispatch line at: 302-739-4580 or 1-800-523-3336.

Media contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, 302-382-7167, or Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

-End-

Turkey hunter Kimberly Pokoiski with a gobbler taken at the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Midlands Wildlife Area. The photo, titled “My Pride and Joy,” was taken by Paul Skibicki of St. Georges and won an honorable mention award in the 2018/19 Delaware hunting photo contest

DOVER – Delaware’s month-long spring wild turkey hunting season, which ended May 11, yielded a harvest of 564 birds, slightly lower than last year’s harvest of 571 birds, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife announced today. Toms (males at least two years of age) accounted for 439 of the harvested birds this year, representing 78 percent of the total harvest.

Harvests during this year’s turkey season weekly segments were 254 the first week, 120 the second week, 72 the third week, and 99 the fourth week. This year’s total harvest also included 19 birds harvested by youth hunters during the special youth/non-ambulatory disabled hunt day on April 6.

Only turkeys with beards – almost always males – can be harvested in Delaware. Highlights of the 2019 season included the harvest of 29 “non-typical” turkeys, consisting of gobblers with more than one beard. Of these birds, 23 had two beards, five had three beards, and one had four beards. The longest-bearded bird had a 14-inch beard. The longest spurs on a harvested bird were 1-5/8” on the right leg and 1-13/16” on the left leg. The heaviest bird harvested weighed 26 lbs., 2 oz., and was taken in southwest Kent County.

Turkeys were harvested in 17 of 18 wildlife management zones. A hot spot for harvest occurred in six zones stretching from zones 4, 6, 7, and 8 in western Kent County through zones 11 and 12 between Seaford and Lewes in Sussex County, accounting for just over half of the total statewide harvest. Zone 1A, which is in New Castle County north of I-95/295, was the only zone where no birds were harvested.

This year, 86 percent of the turkeys were harvested on privately-owned lands. Hunters also were successful on public lands where 81 birds were bagged, with turkeys being harvested from 20 different public lands statewide.

For hunters planning ahead, the 2020 wild turkey season will start Saturday, April 11 and run through Saturday, May 9, with the special youth and non-ambulatory disabled hunter day set for Saturday, April 4. The turkey lottery application to hunt on Division of Fish & Wildlife public wildlife areas can be found in the 2019/2020 hunting guide. Hunters are required to successfully complete an approved turkey hunter education class before hunting wild turkeys in Delaware.

For more information on hunting, click 2019-2020 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide and Wildlife Area Hunting Maps. Hard copies of the guide and hunting maps are also available at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office.

For more information, please call the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912 or visit www.fw.delaware.gov.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 49, No. 176

-End-

DOVER – Following a tip made from within Delaware Seashore State Park, DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Park Rangers charged a Seaford man with landing a prohibited shark species, in connection with taking a sandbar shark out of the water while fishing June 11 at 3Rs beach within the park.

Jay Katz, 65, was cited by Park Rangers for one count of catching and removing from the water a prohibited shark species. Katz was released, with his surf fishing permit suspended, pending an appearance in the Court of Common Pleas in Georgetown at a later date.

Certain shark species found in Delaware waters, including sandbar sharks, are prohibited species. They must be released as quickly as possible if caught, and must not be removed from the water when releasing them. Many different species of sharks can be found in both the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. In addition to dogfish sharks and popular sport fishing species such as the mako and thresher, anglers may encounter several prohibited species, including sandbar and sand tiger sharks.

Anglers are prohibited from keeping sand tiger sharks, as well as sandbar sharks. Hook-and-line anglers cannot remove from the water any sandbar or sand tiger shark, or any other prohibited species of shark, all of which must be immediately released in a manner that will ensure maximum probability of survival.

A complete listing of shark regulations is available at Delaware Code – shark regulations. For more information on identifying shark species, visit Delaware’s Most Commonly Misidentified Sharks on DNREC’s website. Additional information about sandbar sharks can also found on the DNREC website.

Citizens are encouraged to report surf fishing violations to DNREC Natural Resources Police Park Rangers by calling 302-739-4580 or by downloading the “DENRP Tip 411” app on a smartphone, which enables citizens to send anonymous tips to authorities.

Media contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 175

-End-