Who's running for State Senate District 8
Every qualified candidate for Delaware State Senate District 8 on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, from the Department of Elections list: party, filing date and campaign website.
How to read this. This page lists every candidate the Delaware Department of Elections shows for this office, in the state's own order, with the same fields for each person: party, filing status, filing date, and campaign website if the state lists one. We publish no home addresses or phone numbers, rank no one and endorse no one. The Department of Elections is the authority; if this page and the state list differ, the state is right and we fix this page. Read the method.
Candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot
| Candidate | Party | Status | Filed | Campaign website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mara Gorman | Democratic | Qualified | February 27, 2026 | marafordelaware.com |
| Shane Cavanaugh | Republican | Qualified | June 5, 2026 | shane4senate.com |
2 qualified candidates are listed for this office.
Source: Delaware Department of Elections, Filed Candidates by Office, checked against the Department of Elections list as updated October 30, 2026, at 7:56 p.m.
Last general election for this seat: 2022
| Candidate, as listed | Party | Total votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID P. SOKOLA | Democratic Party | 8,462 | 62.87% |
| VICTOR JOHN SETTING II | Republican Party | 4,998 | 37.13% |
Statewide totals for the 2022 general election, in the state's order and spelling. Votes counted for all candidates: 13,460.
Source: Delaware Department of Elections, 2022 General Election Report (official results), contest "State Senator District 8".
This is the most recent general election for this seat. The officeholder can change between general elections, for example after a resignation and a special election. See who holds the office now below.
Who holds this office now
The current officeholder is Dave Sokola (Democratic). Dave Sokola does not appear on the 2026 candidate list for this office.
Source: Voting record on First State Lens (Open States).
Not sure which district you live in?
Look up your registration and districts at ivote.de.gov, or see the Department of Elections district maps.