Delaware Secretary of State Jeff Bullock issued a statement following Senator Tom Carper’s decision to not seek reelection in 2024:

Tom Carper has literally bent the arch of Delaware history. Everywhere you look up and down our state, Tom Carper has had an impact. His body of work is unprecedented, and it continues to grow, touching the lives of every Delawarean and improving our quality of life. Tom Carper’s impact has been historic, his contributions to Delaware are second to none, and his legacy to our state will be felt for generations to come.

I started my public service with Tom Carper as a 22-year-old intern. Over the next 17 years, I had the opportunity to serve as his chief of staff in the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, and for most of his time as governor. Governor John Carney, Senator Chris Coons, and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, and many other leaders in government and business share important parts of their life stories with Tom Carper.  

He has been an incredible friend and mentor to us all, and I am forever grateful for his leadership.

Secretary of State Jeff Bullock announced that Karelin Torres was selected to receive the prestigious 2022 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. The award, in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis, recognizes a gifted, civic-minded young Delawarean who has demonstrated leadership abilities, has a passion for social justice, and is improving the quality of life in their community. This is the first time that a Delaware Secretary of State has honored an individual with such an award.

“Karelin’s work in educating and encouraging non-English speaking Delawareans to vote in the 2022 Elections exemplified Congressman Lewis’s mission,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “Young people across our state are rising to the challenge and working to make a difference in all sectors of their communities. This was shown by the number of outstanding nominations that we received last year, and I am proud that my office can showcase a changemaker each year.”

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established in 2021 by the National Association of Secretaries of State to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of the late Congressman John Lewis. His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come.

Torres was active with the Votamos We Vote Coalition—a collection of Latinx civic engagement organizations in Delaware dedicated to registering and encouraging Hispanic citizens to vote. Through the Entre Nosotras Program, a radio program on a Spanish-language station in Sussex County, Torres worked to promote election information ahead of the 2022 Elections, including how to register to vote, information about candidates, and the mail-in voting process. Through storytelling, Torres helped shaped the listeners’ views on the importance of voting, particularly for first-generation Americans, and ultimately inspired individuals to cast their ballots for the first time.

“I am forever grateful to my mother, Cruz Maria Alba, for all the sacrifices she has ever made for me. I am thankful to my community for always providing support and I would not be capable of doing this work without the guidance of Carla Guerrón-Montero and Charito Calvachi-Mateyko. Finally, I want to thank the ACLU of Delaware, Mike Brickner and Meera Deevota for bringing me in as a part of their team,” said Karelin Torres, 2022 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award recipient.

In addition to spreading information about the 2022 Elections, Torres worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Delaware to recruit bilingual poll workers to polling places across the State of Delaware. Currently, visibility of bilingual poll workers to help break barriers, including language barriers, is critically low. Torres’ activism and passion to address this issue led to the recruitment of a number of bilingual poll workers and she partnered with the Delaware Department of Elections to place them in polling places that were likely to have a high traffic of Spanish speakers. As a result of her efforts, every bilingual poll worker was able to wear a button that said, “Hablo Español” (I speak Spanish), indicating to voters that they had an advocate in the room that would assist them.

“Karelin is a remarkable advocate and I have been in awe of her passion to champion civic engagement in Delaware’s Latino community,” said Mike Brickner, Executive Director of the ACLU of Delaware. “The right to vote is foundational to every other right, and Karelin’s work to ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot means that more Latinos are weighing in on critical issues that face their communities. Importantly, Karelin has led other forms of civic engagement beyond voting to ensure that those who are not yet citizens and eligible to vote can still make their voices heard. She epitomizes John Lewis’ spirit of ‘Good Trouble’ and I am delighted she is being recognized.”

Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are open in the Fall of each year.

Eligibility requirements for the Award include:

• The nominee must be a resident of the State of Delaware.
• The nominee must be 25 years or younger by the close of the application submission window.
• The nominee is recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life in their community.
• The nominee has shown a meaningful commitment to address civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.

Submissions for nominations for the 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award will open later in the year. To learn more about the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, visit de.gov/johnlewisaward

Submit photos — and win prizes — during the Delaware Day Adventure, Dec. 1–17, 2022

Delaware’s rich history will be celebrated with fun, adventure, and prizes this year in a contest that challenges visitors to explore an exciting statewide lineup of historic sites in December. This year’s Delaware Day Adventure contest is inspired by the state’s crucial role in the nation’s founding, celebrated each December 7. Visitors who explore the five museums, managed by the State of Delaware, between Dec. 1 and Dec. 17 and submit photos of their visits will get a chance to win a prize. Admission is free to all sites!

Known as “Delaware Day,” the Dec. 7 holiday marks the moment in 1787 when Delaware became the first among the colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution, giving it enduring fame as the “First State” in the nation.

Here are the rules of the Delaware Day Adventure contest, sponsored by the Delaware Department of State’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and the Delaware Tourism Office:

• Visitors who submit photos from all five sites, with at least one photo taken from inside, will be entered to win a grand prize, including a Delaware-themed prize pack.
• Visitors who submit photos of at least two sites (either interior or exterior) will be entered to win other Delaware-themed prizes.

For full details and to enter, visit de.gov/delawareday

Locations of the Delaware Day Adventure include:

• New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle, DE 19720
• The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover, DE 19901
• Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover, DE 19904
• John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Rd., Dover, DE 19901
• Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958

Each location will have Delaware Day Adventure signage with a QR code posted from Dec. 1 through 17. All photos must be submitted through the Delaware Day Adventure webpage before 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2022. Winners will be notified by Dec. 23, 2022.

For questions about the Adventure, contact Daniel Citron, the Historic Sites Team Manager for the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, at museums@delaware.gov.

To learn more about the history of Delaware Day, click here.

The Delaware Secretary of State’s Office will be accepting nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award beginning on Monday, September 12, 2022. The award recognizes a gifted, civic-minded young Delawarean who has demonstrated leadership abilities, has a passion for social justice, and is improving the quality of life in their community.

“John Lewis was a heroic American who changed the course of history,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “I’m honored to have the privilege to present this prestigious award to a young Delawarean who has demonstrated a commitment and passion for social and community change. It is my hope that this award inspires young Delawareans to make a difference in their community.”

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established by the National Association of Secretaries of State to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of the late-Congressman John Lewis. His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come.

In 1961, at the age of 21, Lewis was one of the original thirteen Freedom Riders. In 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington and also one of the “Big Six” leaders that organized the march. In 1965, Lewis helped lead the Selma to Montgomery marches. The first march took place on March 7, 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge where unarmed marchers were attacked by state troopers. The event later became known as “Bloody Sunday” and was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis’ activism at an early age continued throughout his life and he served as a U.S. Congressman for 33 years until he passed away in 2020.

Eligibility requirements for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award include:

• The recipient must be a resident of the State of Delaware.
• The recipient must be 25 years or younger by the close of the application submission window of October 21, 2022.
• The recipient is recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life in their community.
• The recipient has shown a meaningful commitment to address civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.
  • Examples could include youth leadership in a specific project or program, advocacy or even literature as the Congressman also won a National Book Award for young people’s literature.

Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award will be accepted beginning on September 12 through October 21, 2022. An award recipient will be chosen and notified in the month of November 2022.

To learn more or submit a nomination, visit de.gov/JohnLewisAward.

Dover, Del.—Secretary of State Jeff Bullock on Monday announced that Jessica Welch will lead the Delaware Tourism Office as its next director. Welch most recently served as communications director of the Delaware Division of Small Business.

“Jessica brings an immense wealth of knowledge and experience to take on this crucial role in Delaware’s economy,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “The Tourism Office contributes billions each year to the state’s GDP and creates thousands of jobs in the process. As Delaware continues to be a preferred tourist destination, I know Jessica will expand upon the work done so far to continue attracting out-of-state visitors while promoting the prosperity of existing tourism businesses in the state.”

The Delaware Tourism Office (DTO), an office within the Delaware Division of Small Business, works to attract large volumes of out-of-state visitors to Delaware through advertising and marketing campaigns, travel publications, and year-round efforts to bring group tours and sports events to the state. The office regularly partners with Delaware businesses and municipalities to heighten their appeal as tourist destinations, helping them enhance their marketing efforts, and giving them the tools to boost visitation responsibly.

“I am proud and excited to step into this new role leading the Tourism Office and staff as we work together to highlight the many beautiful and unique places in Delaware for visitors to explore,” said Jessica Welch. “The travel and tourism industry is incredibly important to our state’s economy, and I am looking forward to working with our partners, including those in the sports and group tourism markets, to find new and innovative ways to further grow the industry in Delaware.”

Welch has served as communications director of the Division of Small Business since July 2021, where she managed all external relations, marketing, and advertising for the Division, including creating social media content, drafting and distributing press releases, and distributing a weekly newsletter sent to more than 14,000 business owners and partner organizations across the state. Prior to joining the Division of Small Business, Welch served as the director of public relations for the Delaware State Housing Authority. She also has past experience in marketing and media relations roles at Hagley Museum and Library and the Delaware Office of Management and Budget and worked as a state government reporter for the Delaware State News.

A native of Dover, Delaware, Welch holds a B.A. in English and journalism from the University of Delaware, and an M.S. in management and public administration from Wilmington University.