MILTON, Del. - Voters in Delaware’s 20th House District heard from both candidates running in the upcoming special election during a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Sussex County.
Democrat Alonna Berry and Republican Nikki Miller are vying for the open seat in the Aug. 5 special election. The seat was vacated earlier this summer by former Democratic Representative Stell Parker Selby.
The two women, both with backgrounds in education, answered questions from the league and the public on topics including governance, school funding, and reproductive rights.
Berry emphasized collaboration with Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration, saying she would ensure any legislation she supports is clearly communicated with the governor’s office.
Miller said she would push back when it came to the governor's office and said that Meyer needs somebody "with a little bit more experience than him in the classroom and in leadership and education."
The candidates found common ground on several issues, including support for diversity, equity and inclusion, and a woman’s right to choose.
When asked about Delaware’s outdated school funding formula, both candidates called for structural reform.
"We are hurting our most at risk kids by paying the teachers less to teach them and then you have high turnovers because teachers can drive a few more miles and make more money doing the same thing," said Miller.
"We are operating on a funding formula that is not meeting the needs of our students and our teachers and our parents today. We have got to figure out how to completely restructure how we fund our schools," said Berry.