Nick McWilliams reporting – Two Republican candidates are pursuing the Dover president of council position on Election Day.

Justin Perkowski, the incumbent, meets Zach Wallick, who ran for council president in 2021 unsuccessfully.

Perkowski, who has served in the president seat for the last year, was briefly the interim Mayor in Dover just under a month due to Richard Homrighausen being removed from office due to a felony conviction.

He says that his recent involvement at the council level during a turbulent time speak for itself.

“I feel like I have a good grasp of how the council works, and I believe I have the respect of my peers after being elected to [president] pro tempore. I want to continue to see the council, and the administration, and employees, work together to move the city forward past the last few years, especially.”

Prior to the president and interim mayor roles, Perkowski was a council-at-large chair holder for nearly a decade.

Also on the ballot, Wallick says that the city has to respond to the recent chaos seen within Dover, and he feels he would be a voice to guide that ship.

“Part of that [chaos] stems from a lack of communication and a lack of leadership. I was a staff sergeant in the Air Force. I worked in the intensive care unit. I worked in the emergency room, and I deployed overseas during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have a leadership background, and I have leadership skills. And I would like to put those to use for the citizens of Dover.”

Wallick is a political newcomer, and expressed concern in the direction of Dover Light and Power and what he called poor spending practices by council.

The winner will advance to the November ballot with no Democrat candidate having filed.

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