WILMINGTON — Governor-elect Matt Meyer is starting to build a transition team as his first order of business, including establishing four committees to help shape policy decisions for the next four years.
The four committees include legislators, business representatives, local government officials and more from all corners of Delaware to discuss key issues in the state and work toward solutions. The committee meetings will be open to the public, as well as public comment, according to Meyer campaign officials.
Those committees will deliver a single transition report in January that will outline the systems and policies that are working for Delaware, existing challenges and new ideas. The report would also come with policy recommendations for the Meyer administration, essentially serving as a blueprint for the public on what they could expect from the new governor.
“From day one, we’ve been clear that our administration will be built on the principles of openness, collaboration and delivering real results to Delaware families,” Meyer said during a call with the press and the community. “Today, I’m proud to announce our transition committee that’s going to help lead this effort from the start.”
Transition teams, from the president’s office to the governor’s office, are designed to help smooth the process for leader-elects to prepare for the duties they will take on once sworn into office. With an operating budget that is now more than $6 billion with dedicated funding for education, social services, arts programs, housing and more, the team Meyer is assembling will have a voice in how the governor-elect approaches — and funds — those issues.
Typically, transition teams are comprised of political advisors and allies. But Meyer’s goal is that through open meetings, the public will play an active role in the creation of the transition report and shaping Delaware’s direction. He has already opened a website for the public to share ideas.
“I almost think that someone who’s not on a committee can really have as much role in building a transition report as someone who’s on a committee,” he added. “These committees are going to ensure a transparent and inclusive process that listens to residents, that collaborates and puts forth policy that’s going to help us starting the day we’re sworn in to deliver real results for Delaware.”
Honorary co-chairs of the Meyer transition committees are U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, U.S. Senator-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester, U.S. Rep.- elect Sarah McBride, Lt. Gov.-elect Kyle Evans Gay, Delaware State University President Tony Allen and Sussex County Administrator Todd Lawson.
The committees and their chairs are:
- Education, Economic Development and Labor committee, chaired by Allen, Sen. Jack Walsh (D-Newport) and Relay Graduate School of Education – Delaware Campus Clinical Practice Director Dana Davisson
- Sustainable Systems and Resilient Communities committee, chaired by Lawson, outgoing Leadership Delaware CEO Jennifer Cohen and Tony DePrima, the retired executive director of Energize Delaware
- Governance, Innovation and Operational Excellence committee, chaired by Sen. Laura Sturgeon (D-Greenville/Hockessin) and DSU Chief Financial Officer Anas Ben Addi
- Care and Community Actions committee, chaired by Evans Gay and Court of Chancery Chief Staff Attorney Aaron Goldstein
In the next two months, Meyer will start to consider fiscal and economic development policy, as well as selecting cabinet members to work with him to run the largest employer in Delaware – the state government. Delaware Business Times records show that the state government employs 31,640 people.
Once Meyer is sworn in on Jan. 21, he will also mark his first days as governor with the Delaware legislature and its new leaders from both parties in the House, while also preparing his first spending plan and capital bond bill.
The governor-elect had no updates on cabinet selections as of Tuesday and said that he was not seeking the transition team to outline items with spending recommendations.
“We’ll be reading the reports and incorporating things from them as it relates to the Fiscal Year 2026 budget,” he said.
For more information on the transition committees, visit transition.delaware.gov.
