Sussex County, Delaware

Sussex County Council District 5

2 candidates are tracked for Sussex County Council District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John L. Rieley and Jill Hicks. Candidate information follows official Sussex County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Incumbent Republican John L. Rieley, the council vice president, and Democrat Jill Hicks meet on the November 3 ballot; neither faces a September primary. This race appears only on District 5 ballots.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. The sitting officeholder, John L. Rieley, is on the ballot.

Delaware › Sussex County › Sussex County Council District 5

John L. Rieley

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

Fiscal management
Environmental protection
Broadband expansion

Per the official county biography.

Biography

John L. Rieley is Sussex County Council vice president and has represented District 5 since 2018, per the county's official council page. He is owner-operator of Rieley Farms near Millsboro, with prior careers in food-service management and financial planning, and is a former Georgetown Chamber of Commerce president. No campaign website was found as of September 12, 2026.

Jill Hicks

Democratic

Top priorities

Affordability
Smart land use and infrastructure pacing
Farmland preservation

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Jill Hicks is a former Wawa real-estate manager, co-founder and president of the Sussex Preservation Coalition, and a member of the county's land-use reform working group, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotSussex County Recorder of Deeds

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Sussex County Council District 5 in 2026?

When is the Sussex County Council District 5 election in Delaware?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Delaware are on the Delaware election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Sussex County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Sussex County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Delaware election office, or see the full Sussex County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Sussex County ballot

17 tracked races in Sussex County, Delaware. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Sussex County Register of Wills Sussex County Sheriff Delaware Senate District 19 See all 17 Sussex County races

Candidate profiles

John L. Rieley, full profile Jill Hicks, full profile Official Delaware election office