Sussex County is governed by a five-member elected Council. There are five geographic districts within the county and each Council member is elected from their respective district to serve a four-year term. Candidates for the County Council must be at least 18 years old and residents of Sussex County.
Responsibilities of the County Council include:
- Establishing policies for the health, safety, and welfare of County residents;
- Adopting an annual budget for county government operations;
- Enacting plans for county growth, development, and employment.
County Council meetings are normally held each Tuesday at 10 a.m. with zoning hearings, when applicable, held at 1:30 p.m. The meetings take place in the Council Chambers, located in the County Administrative Offices building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown, Del. Meetings are open to the public.
Sussex County Government is administered by the County Administrator, Todd F. Lawson, who was appointed by the County Council in 2011. The County Administrator implements the Council's policies, oversees the preparation of the annual budget for the Council's approval, and supervises an overall staff of nearly 500 employees.
The County Administrator supervises departments that are charged with providing such vital services as sewer, public safety, planning, business development, zoning, and tax assessment and collection.