There’s something about retirement that changes the way we look at time.
After decades of working, raising families, building careers, meeting deadlines and taking care of everyone and everything that needed taking care of, we finally have a little more room to ask ourselves:
What do I want to do with this next chapter?
For many of us living in Southern Delaware, the answer isn’t necessarily “do less.”
Maybe it’s do something that matters in a different way.
We have experience. We have opinions. We’ve managed budgets, run businesses, taught classes, organized organizations, raised families, solved problems and learned — sometimes the hard way — how communities actually work.
And now that we have a little more time, we have an opportunity to put some of that experience back into the place we call home.
One easy place to start this fall is by getting to know the people who want to represent us in local and state government.
Seven Opportunities to Listen and Learn
The League of Women Voters of Sussex County has announced seven public candidate forums ahead of the November 3 General Election. The forums cover two Sussex County Council districts and five Delaware House districts. The League describes its forums as nonpartisan opportunities for voters to hear from candidates and participate in the process.
Here is the current schedule:
- Sussex County Council District 5: Thursday, September 24, 7–8:30 p.m., Indian River Senior Center, Millsboro
- Sussex County Council District 4: Tuesday, September 29, 7–8:30 p.m., Selbyville Public Library
- Delaware House District 20: Date pending, 7–8:30 p.m., Lewes Elementary School
- Delaware House District 38: Thursday, October 8, 7–8:30 p.m., Millville Community Center at Evans Park
- Delaware House District 41: Thursday, October 15, 7–8:30 p.m., Selbyville Public Library
- Delaware House District 4: Wednesday, October 21, 7–8:30 p.m., Indian River Senior Center, Millsboro
- Delaware House District 14: Thursday, October 22, 7–8:30 p.m., online via Zoom
Because schedules can change, it’s a good idea to check the League’s website for the latest information before attending.
Why Should We Care About These Races?
Well, we’re living here.
That’s reason enough.
County Council and Delaware House races may not get the attention of a presidential election, but the people elected to these offices make decisions that affect the communities where we live, shop, volunteer, pay taxes and spend our retirement years.
Sussex County Council members serve four-year terms and are involved in county policies, the county budget and decisions about regional growth.
Members of the Delaware House serve two-year terms and help make state laws, work on the state budget and taxation, and consider legislation returned by the governor.
We don’t have to agree with every candidate. We don’t have to become political activists. And we certainly don’t have to spend our retirement glued to the news.
But we can pay attention.
We can listen.
We can ask questions.
And we can vote.
We Already Know How to Ask Good Questions
One of the advantages of getting older — and let’s admit there are some — is that we’ve had time to learn what really matters to us.
We may have questions about growth in Sussex County. About taxes. About transportation. About the environment. About housing. About schools and services. About the future of the communities where our children and grandchildren may live.
We don’t need someone to tell us what questions we’re supposed to ask.
We’ve been around long enough to know.
The League’s forums provide a place to hear candidates respond to questions from voters. For most of the forums, questions can be submitted in advance as well as in person at the event.
That makes these evenings pretty simple: show up, listen carefully and make up your own mind.
Giving Back Doesn’t Have to Mean Starting Over
Maybe this is one of the things we appreciate most about retirement.
We don’t necessarily need another career.
We don’t need another title.
We don’t need someone handing us a clipboard and telling us how to change the world.
But many of us still want to be useful.
Sometimes giving back means volunteering at a food pantry or helping at a library. Sometimes it means mentoring someone younger. Sometimes it means serving on a nonprofit board, helping a neighbor or supporting a local organization.
And sometimes it means becoming more involved in our own government.
The League of Women Voters of Sussex County is one avenue for doing that. The organization is nonpartisan and offers opportunities for people to participate in voter education and civic activities.
In other words, we don’t have to choose between retirement and involvement.
We can have both.
Start Where You Are
If you’ve lived in Southern Delaware for years, you probably already have a pretty good idea of what you love about this place.
Maybe you’ve watched the area grow.
Maybe you’ve seen roads change, new neighborhoods appear and familiar businesses come and go.
Maybe you moved here recently and are still figuring out how your new community works.
Either way, this is home now.
And that’s a good reason to take an interest in what happens next.
The 2026 Delaware General Election is Tuesday, November 3. Delaware also offers early voting at designated locations beginning October 22.
You can find official voting information through the Delaware Department of Elections, including information about voting locations and ways to vote.
The League of Women Voters’ VOTE411 resource is another place to find election information.
Maybe This Is What This Chapter Is For
We’ve spent a lot of our lives doing what had to be done.
Now we get to decide, at least a little more, where our time and energy go.
For some of us, that may mean traveling more. Spending time with grandchildren. Picking up an old hobby. Sitting on the porch with a good book.
And maybe, alongside all of that, it means looking around and saying:
I still have something to contribute here.
That’s not a bad way to spend retirement.
So, if you’ve been wondering how to get a little more involved in Southern Delaware, consider going to a candidate forum this fall.
Bring your questions.
Bring your curiosity.
Bring your years of experience.
You don’t have to know everything. You don’t have to agree with everyone.
Just show up. Listen. Learn. And decide for yourself.
After all, we’ve spent a lifetime building communities.
Why stop now?
Jane T. Lord, PhD
LWVSCDE Board of Directors
[email protected]
Phone: 302-827-2299
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