Procedures to fill city council vacancies.
Wilmington City Code § 2-34
in effectSec. 2-34. - Procedures to fill city council vacancies.
The city council hereby establishes the following procedures by which a person is appointed by resolution to fill a city council vacancy:
The committee of the whole of city council, chaired by the president of city council, shall be charged with selecting a candidate to fill the vacancy in accordance with the requirements outlined in the City Charter section 2-101.
(1) The committee of the whole shall:
a. Accept recommendations from members of council in accordance with the requirements of subsection (1)b of this section;
b. Accept resumes and letters of intent, during a specified time period, from persons who are qualified pursuant to the City Charter;
c. Interview each qualified person:
i. Each member of the committee of the whole shall identify up to three candidates to fill the vacancy. The candidates shall be identified using an identifier, other than the candidate's name, which will be assigned to each candidate during executive session;
d. Recommend a person by majority vote of the members of the committee of the whole; and
e. Follow the requirements for appointment of a person to fill a council vacancy, pursuant to the City Charter.
(2) The vacancy shall be certified by resolution.
(3) The committee of the whole shall propose by resolution its recommendation of a person to fill the vacancy for vote by the full of city council. The resolution must be approved by a majority vote of all the members of city council.
(4) If the resolution fails to be approved, the committee of the whole shall reconvene and propose by resolution another recommendation of a person who it previously interviewed to fill the vacancy for a vote by the full of city council. The resolution must be approved by a majority vote of all members of city council. The committee of the whole shall repeat this procedure until the vacancy is filled.
(5) While the procedures set forth in this section are taking place, if the city council vacancy is for a councilmanic district, the at-large council member living in or closest to the district in which there is a vacancy will respond to and assist residents in that district until the vacancy is filled.
(Ord. No. 06-066, § 1, 10-19-06; Ord. No. 19-001(sub 1), § 1, 1-31-19)
Source: City of Wilmington, Delaware, City Code, City Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/de/wilmington/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIWICO_CH2AD_ARTIICICO_S2-34PRFICOVAFetched: 11/6/2026