How to Run for City Council in Wilmington, DE

A nonpartisan guide to City Council in Wilmington. Learn the requirements to run for office near you.
Last election
November 3, 2020

About City Council

About this position

The City Legislature is the municipality's governing body, responsible for voting on ordinances and policies, and often is in charge of hiring a city manager.
Office level
City
Election frequency
Every 4 years
Typical salary
$28,205 / year
Commitment level
Part Time
Affiliation
Partisan

Election type

  • CheckPartisan election (party labels appear on ballots)
  • Run-off election

How to run for City Council

  1. User Round
    Step 1

    Meet eligibility requirements

    Candidate must be a citizen qualified by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Delaware to vote in the city and who satisfy the requirements for registration prescribed by law shall be qualified to vote for the members of the city council, president of the council, the mayor, and other elected city officials.A councilman shall be a citizen of the United States, shall be a qualified elector of the city and shall have been such for at least one year prior to his election. No councilman shall hold any other city office or employment during the term for which he was elected to the city council. A councilman shall not be less than twenty-five (25) years of age when elected to office. He shall remain a resident of the councilmanic district from which he was elected during his term of office.

  2. File Text
    Step 2

    File for office

    Filing requirements
    Filing fee: $10 or 10 signatures in place of filing fee
    Paperwork instructions
    Submit paperwork to the County Department of Elections' office.
    Where to file
    820 North French St Suite 400, Wilmington, DE 19801
    Filing phone
    302-577-3464
  3. Trending Up
    Step 3

    Launch your campaign

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Who's currently in office

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Request a mail-in ballot

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Guide

How to Run for City Council: Requirements, Duties, and Steps

A step-by-step guide to running for City Council as an independent candidate, from deciding to run to election night.

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2026 Political Campaign Playbook

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About this guide

GoodParty.org is a nonpartisan organization that helps people run for local office without backing from a political party. This voter guide shows you every race and candidate in one place. Candidates who take the GoodParty.org Pledge get a heart-and-star badge next to their name and can edit their own profiles.

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