Matt Meyer is a former public school math teacher and small business owner who has served as New Castle County Executive since 2017. As the leader of Delaware’s largest local government, Matt has proven that government can still work for the people– delivering real results for real people and making real progress for Delaware’s working families. Matt is running for Governor to bring that same result-driven leadership across our state by creating an effective government that reflects our values and priorities.
From Wilmington to Kenya and Iraq: Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then studied Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on five continents. Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, as a diplomat embedded with the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Sustainability is the key to ensuring that the next generation of Delawareans have access to clean water, clean air and beautiful open spaces.
Public Safety is more than just police. It includes providing mental health and addiction treatment to those in need. It also includes supporting our neighbors experiencing homelessness because everyone in Delaware deserves a safe place to call home.
Government agencies working together can solve real problems like creating more affordable homes and good paying jobs.
Matt Meyer has been serving as County Executive for New Castle County, Delaware since 2017.
Since taking office, Matt has worked hard to deliver a better future for our communities, families, and children.
Matt recently led the effort to convert a large hotel into the New Castle County Hope Center- the largest and most comprehensive emergency housing shelter in state history. He subsequently won an Emmy for producing a documentary about it.
Matt has also won numerous awards for his leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing fast, free testing sites that provided nearly 500,000 tests in 12 months, and collaborating with Delaware State University and Testing for America to build a state-of-the-art laboratory to provide COVID-19 testing and other advanced scientific testing.
Throughout his tenure as County Executive, Matt has fought to preserve open space, protect the environment, reduce vacant housing, improve public health, strengthen emergency services, and make the county’s libraries & parks as great as they can be.
The Meyer administration has also brought unique community-oriented policing to the county- the police department now collaborates with mental health and substance use disorder professionals to help people receive treatment & care that they desperately need rather than handcuffing them and sending them through the criminal justice system.
Matt has hired the most diverse senior staff in county history. And he has taken numerous official actions to ensure that everyone feels welcome in New Castle County, regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.
Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then went on to study Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally-friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on 5 continents.
Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, embedded with the United States Army as a diplomat during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Afterward, Matt returned to Delaware and taught at Prestige Academy, a public school in Wilmington.
Matt lives in the Trinity Vicinity neighborhood of Wilmington.