The Delaware Constitution
Through Divine goodness, all people have by nature the rights of worshiping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences, of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting reputation and property, and in general of obtaining objects suitable to their condition, without injury by one to another; and as these rights are essential to their welfare, for due exercise thereof, power is inherent in them; and therefore all just authority in the institutions of political society is derived from the people, and established with their consent, to advance their happiness; and they may for this end, as circumstances require, from time to time, alter their Constitution of government.
Freedom of religion
Religious test for office not required
Free and equal elections
Trial by jury
Freedom of press and speech; evidence in libel prosecutions; jury questions
Searches and seizures
Procedural rights in criminal prosecutions; jury trial; self-incrimination; deprivation of life, liberty or property
Prosecution by indictment or information; double jeopardy; just compensation for property
Courts shall be open; remedy for injury; suits against State
Suspension of laws by General Assembly
Excessive bail or fines; cruel punishments; health of prisoners
Right to bail; access to accused
Suspension of habeas corpus
Commission of oyer and terminer, or jail delivery
Corruption of blood; forfeiture; descent of suicide's estate
Right of assembly; petition for redress of grievances
Standing army; necessity for legislative consent; subordination of military
Prohibition against quartering soldiers in homes
Hereditary distinctions; holding office during good behavior; offices and titles from foreign states
Right to keep and bear arms
Equal rights
Reserve Clause
General Assembly to hold legislative power; composition
Composition of House and Senate; terms of office; districts; election
Additional representative districts
Delegates to Constitutional Convention
Qualifications of members; commencement of terms of members
Time and frequency of sessions
Place of meeting
Vacancies; tenure of office of persons elected to fill
President pro tempore, Speaker and other officers; absence of presiding officers
Each House as judge of elections and qualifications of its members; quorum; adjournments; compelling attendance
Rules; punishment and expulsion of members; scope of powers
Journals; publication; entry of yeas and nays; passage of bills and resolutions
Accessibility to each House and Committees of the Whole
Consent of each House to adjournment
Immunity from arrest and questioning of speeches
Holding dual office or having interest in army or navy contract
Compensation, expenses and allowances of members
Restriction of bills and resolutions to one subject; expression in title; exception
Lotteries and other gambling
Bingo games; organizations authorized to conduct; submission to referendum; districts; regulation; penalties
Lotteries not under State control; organizations authorized to conduct; submission to referendum; districts; regulation; penalties
Divorce or alimony
Local or special laws relating to fences, livestock, ditches, school districts, and roads, highways, streets, etc.
Disclosure of personal or private interest of legislator in any pending measure
Conviction of crime as ban to public office
Bribery of executive, judicial or legislative officers
Statutes as public laws unless otherwise declared
Repealed
Laws permitting zoning ordinances and use of land
Governor to be supreme executive
Election of Governor
Election returns, publications; election by General Assembly
Contested elections of Governor or Lieutenant-Governor
Term of office
Qualifications
Compensation
Governor as commander-in-chief of state armed forces
Appointing power; recess appointments; confirmation
Secretary of State; appointment, term, duties and compensation
County officers; qualifications; members of Congress, federal employees and other officers holding dual office
Commissions
Removal of officers by Governor; procedure
Reports from executive departments
Messages to General Assembly
Special sessions of General Assembly; adjournment; special session of Senate
Execution of laws
Approval or veto of bills, orders, resolutions or votes; repassage over veto
Lieutenant-Governor; election, term and qualifications; President of the Senate; compensation
Vacancy in offices of both Governor and Lieutenant-Governor; officers eligible to act; disability of Governor
Election and term of office for certain state officers
Election and term of office of certain county officers; commission
Place of office of certain county officers
Date of commencement of terms of certain State and County elective officers
Creation of courts
Justices of Supreme Court and other State Judges; qualifications; residence; precedence
Appointment of judges; terms of office; vacancies; political representation; confirmation of appointment
Compensation of judges; method of payment; receipt of other fees or holding other office
Composition of Superior Court; presiding judge; quorum
Sessions of Superior Court
Jurisdiction of Superior Court
Jurisdiction of Family Court
Jurisdiction of Court of Common Pleas
Definitions of particular terms
Repealed
Composition and jurisdiction of Court of Chancery; initiation and decisions in causes and proceedings
Jurisdiction of Supreme Court
Composition of Supreme Court; designation of temporary Justices; quorum; opening and adjourning court
Administrative head of courts; supervisory powers; designation of judges to sit in Court of Chancery, or the Superior Court
Power of law judges to grant restraining orders and preliminary injunctions
Judges ad litem; limitation and expiration of commission; compensation; persons not disqualified
Scope of jurisdiction and process; costs
Jurisdictional changes by General Assembly; appeals to Supreme Court
Powers of Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors and Judges
Instructions to jury
Trial by court of issues of fact in civil causes
Amendments in civil pleadings and proceedings by Superior Court; examination of witnesses and parties
Payment into court pending action for debt or damages; costs
Survival of action; executor or administrator as party; continuance
Security for stay of proceedings on appeal or writ of error
Chief Register in Chancery: appointment; powers and duties
Prothonotary as Clerk of Superior Court; powers and duties; entry of testatum fieri facias
Clerk of Supreme Court; term of office and compensation
Criminal jurisdiction of inferior courts and justices of the peace; regulation of jurisdiction; indictment; jury trial; appeals
Justices of the Peace; term of office; powers of the Chief Magistrate and Justices of the Peace
Justices of the Peace, Chief Magistrate, and judges of legislative courts; appointment by Governor; terms of office
Registers of Wills; depositions of witnesses; process; appeals to Court of Chancery; disqualification of Register for interest
Adjustment and settlement of executors' and administrators' accounts; notice; hearing of exceptions in Court of Chancery; transfer of jurisdiction; appeals
Style of process and public acts; prosecutions in name of State
Continuation in office and designation of certain judicial officers
Continuation in office and designation of judicial officers of the Family Court and the Court of Common Pleas
Proceedings pending at time of 1951 amendment; books, records and papers; effect of amended article on Court of Chancery
Repealed
Court on the Judiciary
Retired Judges and Justices; temporary assignment
Senior judges
Time and manner of holding general election
Qualifications for voting; members of the Armed Services of the United States stationed within State; persons disqualified; forfeiture of right
Residence requirements in case of intrastate removal; election of President and Vice-President of United States; qualifications
Residence requirements of persons from other states; election of President and Vice-President of United States; qualifications
Influencing voter; loss of vote; challenge; oath and affirmation; perjury
Registration of voters; days for registration; application to strike name from list; appeals; registration as prerequisite for voting
General laws for absentee voting
Uniform laws for absentee registration
Electors privileged from arrest; exceptions
Voting machine recording tapes, voting machine certificate, and absentee ballots; delivery to Prothonotary; duties and composition of court; quorum
Election offenses; penalties; self-incrimination
Prosecution for election offenses; procedure; appeal; bond
Enumeration of election offenses as limitation on power of General Assembly
Uniformity of taxes; collection under general laws; exemption for public welfare purposes
Revenue bills to originate in House; amendments by Senate; restriction on definition; exclusion of unrelated matter
Borrowing money; specification of purpose; surplus borrowed money
Restrictions on loan of public money or bonds and credit of State
Capitation tax; uniformity; use
Procedure in withdrawal and payment of public moneys; annual publication of receipts and expenditures; limitation upon appropriations
Real estate assessments; inclusion of values
Lending credit, appropriating money to or becoming interested in any private corporation, person or company by county or municipality
Retroactive increase of taxation of personal income
Limitation on increase of rate of taxes and license fees; exception to meet obligation under faith and credit pledge; allocation of public moneys to meet such obligation if revenues are not sufficient to meet such pledge
Imposition or levy of new taxes or license fees
The Transportation Trust Fund; use and restrictions
Creation, amendment, renewal or revival by general law; exceptions; revocation or forfeitures of charters; requisites for enactment of corporation laws
Acceptance of Constitution by existing corporations as prerequisite for amendment or renewal of charter
Repealed
Rights, privileges, immunities and estates
Designation, by foreign corporation, of agent for service of process
Taxation of stock owned by persons or corporations without the State
Establishment and maintenance of free public schools; attendance
Annual appropriations; apportionment; use of funds; separation of schools; other expenses
Use of educational funds by religious schools; exemption of school property from taxation
Use of Public School Fund
Transportation of nonpublic school students
Property tax; use limitations
State Board of Agriculture
Composition of Board; residence of Commissioners; quorum
Appointment of Commissioners by Governor; tenure; vacancies
Abatement and prevention of diseases of fruit trees, plants, vegetables, cereals and livestock
Plans for securing immigration of industrious and useful settlers
Compensation of Board members
Duration of Board
Conservators of the peace
Receipt for fees
Costs on bill returned ignoramus or on acquittal
Extension of term of public officer; diminution of salary or emoluments
Officers to hold office until successors qualify
Behavior of officers; removal for misbehavior or infamous crime
Offenses excepted from prohibition against prosecuting by information and jury trial
Interest of member or officer of department in contracts for supplies or services of department prohibited
Prefixing Constitution to codification of laws
Disqualification to hold office by reason of sex
Proposal and concurrence of Constitutional amendments in General Assembly; procedure
Constitutional Conventions; procedure; compensation of delegates; quorum; powers and duties; vacancies
Receiving, tallying and counting votes for or against Convention; return of vote; enabling legislation
Approval of bills or resolutions under this article; exemption from Article III, section 18
Separate ballots on question of Convention
That no inconvenience may arise from the amendments of the Constitution of this State, and in order to carry the same into complete operation, it is hereby declared and ordained as follows: