The Constitution of the State of Delaware of 1897 is the fourth and current governing document for Delaware

Delaware

Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...

 state government and has been in effect since its adoption on June 4 of that year.

Executive

The Governor is the executive officer of the State, and is chosen by the qualified electors of the State, once every four years, at the general election. The term of the Governor is for four years, from the third Tuesday in January following the election. A person may elected Governor only twice. The Governor must be thirty years old, a citizen and inhabitant of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 for twelve years before the day of the election, and for the last six years of that time an inhabitant of Delaware

Delaware

Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...

.

The Governor is commander-in-chief of the state armed forces including the militia and, with the consent of the State Senate

Delaware Senate

The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....

, appoint the Secretary of State to serve at the pleasure of the Governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

.

Legislation approved by the General Assembly

Delaware General Assembly

The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...

 is submitted to the Governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

 for approval. In the event approval is not given, the legislation is returned to the General Assembly

Delaware General Assembly

The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...

, reconsidered, and may be become law without the Governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

's approval only if three-fifths of each House of the General Assembly approve it.

Members of the Delaware

Delaware

Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...

 Constitutional Convention of 1897. The Convention convened in December 1896 and adjourned June 4, 1897.

• John Biggs, President, Democrat from New Castle County
• Edward G. Bradford
• Martin B. Burris
• William A. Cannon
• Paris T. Carlisle, Jr.
• Wilson T. Cavender
• David S. Clark
• J. Wilkins Cooch
• Ezekiel W. Cooper
• Robert W. Dasey
• Joshua A. Ellegood
• Charles B. Evans
• James B. Gilchrist
• Robert G. Harman
• Edward D. Hearne
• John W. Hering
• Andrew J. Horsey
• Andrew L. Johnson
• Woodburn Martin
• Elias N. Moore
• George H. Murray
• William P. Orr, Jr.
• Nathan Pratt
• Charles F. Richards
• Lowder L. Sapp
• William Saulsbury
• William T. Smithers
• William C. Spruance, Republican from New Castle County
• Isaac K. Wright

Amendment procedure

The Delaware Constitution is unusual in that the legislature has authority to amend it without a referendum

Referendum

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...

. Article XVI, Section 1, of the Delaware Constitution provides that
The people are notified of the proposed amendment through the newspaper publications and may make their views known, and give effect to their desires, by voting for or against those legislators who are seeking to amend the constitution.

See also

• Delaware Constitution of 1776
  Delaware Constitution of 1776
  The Delaware Constitution of 1776 was the first governing document for Delaware state government and was in effect from its adoption in September 1776 until replaced in 1792 by a new Constitution.-Background:...
  
  
• Delaware Constitution of 1792
  Delaware Constitution of 1792
  The Delaware Constitution of 1792 was the second governing document for Delaware state government and was in effect from its adoption on June 12, 1792 until replaced on December 2, 1831 by a new Constitution....
  
  
• Delaware Constitution of 1831
  Delaware Constitution of 1831
  The Delaware Constitution of 1831 was the third governing document for Delaware state government and was in effect from its adoption on December 2, 1831 until replaced on June 4, 1897 by the present state Constitution....