SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Democrat Jill Hicks has won the general election for Sussex County Council District 5, defeating incumbent Republican John Rieley. Hicks won with 11,185 votes, while Rieley received 10,603 votes.
Hicks has a background in business management, strategic planning and environmental advocacy. A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, she earned a bachelor's degree in music education from Penn State University.
Hicks spent 26 years with Wawa Inc., where she held leadership positions in real estate, purchasing, marketing and supply chain technology. She also co-founded the Sussex Preservation Coalition and previously served as its president.
The Sussex County Council District 5 includes Georgetown, Milton and Millsboro.
Throughout her campaign, Hicks has focused on land-use reform, infrastructure improvements and environmental preservation.
Hicks has identified the county's upcoming 10-year comprehensive plan as a priority, advocating for policies that direct development toward appropriate areas while ensuring roads, utilities and other infrastructure can accommodate growth.
Her campaign priorities also include stronger protections for farmland, forests and wetlands. She supports changes to land-use regulations that would require developers to contribute to infrastructure costs associated with new development.
Hicks has also advocated for workforce housing requirements in new developments and greater community involvement in county planning decisions.
She has emphasized using her business and environmental advocacy experience to address development, infrastructure needs and quality-of-life concerns in Sussex County.
