Lower Township Democrats

06/01/2026

It's the day before the Primary Election! Are you ready to cast your vote tomorrow on June 2nd? Do you know where your polling place is? Get ready to VOTE and thank you for participating in this important Primary Election!

05/30/2026

Early voting is officially underway across New Jersey.

Voting early is encouraged and recommended - you never know what kind of emergency or unscheduled conflict might keep you from the polls on Election Day. You can visit an early voting polling location in your county now through May 31. For hours and locations, and to see what's on your ballot, visit Vote411.org!

Not affiliated with a political party? You can still participate in the primary—unaffiliated voters can declare a party when voting early or on Election Day.

05/29/2026

Meet David Temple

https://www.templeforcommissioner.com/

Candidate Background: David Temple

David has proudly called South Jersey home for the past 12 years. Originally from Massachusetts, he grew up in a large family of eight, where he learned the values of hard work, community, and perseverance early on.

He began his college career at Bucknell University before transferring to Tufts University, where he earned a degree in Child Psychology. A dedicated athlete, David played tennis at both schools and went on to build a successful career in sports leadership. After graduation, he became the Head Tennis and Squash Professional at the Heights Casino in Brooklyn, New York. Over 14 years, he expanded and strengthened the programs, while also serving as the National U19 Women’s Squash Coach.

David later returned to Massachusetts, where he raised his children and spent 15 years as a 4th-grade teacher, shaping young minds and giving back to his community. During this time, he launched People Powered Machines, an environmentally focused online business promoting alternatives to gas-powered equipment. As a pioneer in the green business space, he grew the company into a successful venture and eventually transitioned to running it full-time before selling it.

Following that chapter, David chose to settle along the South Jersey coast, where he now works as a Realtor and remains deeply connected to the local community. He lives in Villas with his partner, Wendy, and their overly friendly Golden Retriever, Ted.

While David has not previously held political office, he has long been active in community and environmental causes. After seeing past elections go uncontested, he felt a responsibility to step forward and run for one of the open Cape May County Commissioner seats. David is committed to bringing fresh energy, practical experience, and a strong sense of service to the role—and he is ready to work hard for the communities he will represent.

Candidate Background: David TempleDavid has proudly called South Jersey home for the past 12 years. Originally from Massachusetts, he grew up in a large family of eight, where he learned the values of hard work, community, and perseverance early on.He began his college career at Bucknell University....

05/29/2026

Meet Beth Blair-Slemmer, Candidate for LT Town Council, Ward 2

Hi, my name is Beth Blair-Slemmer, and I am here in the hope of getting
your support for Town Council Member for Ward 2 in Lower Township.
Don’t worry, I know we have a lot of people to hear from tonight, so I
will keep my remarks very short!
Brief background information for me: I grew up in Camden County in a
very conservative town, which is now very progressive. I moved to a
very conservative town in Burlington County as a young adult, lived
there for 29 years, and it is now a progressive town. We bought our
home in North Cape May in 2013, moved here fulltime in 2020, and
now hoping the trend continues and Lower Township switches from red
to blue!
My first career was in politics and government, back in the day when it
was a good thing to be in public service. I was proud to work for US
Senator Frank Lautenberg, and then Congressman Jim Florio, who we
helped become Governor, and then I worked for him in Trenton. What
was remarkably different then is that the Democrats and Republicans
got along, we worked well together, we liked each other (for the most
part!). It deeply saddens me how divided we have become, and I truly
hope we can get back to working for a common purpose.
For those of you in the room who are older, you may remember when
Jim Florio ran for reelection in 1993. For his first term, he vowed to ban
assault-style weapons, and he did. Which meant that the NRA made
getting rid of him their number one priority, and poured their money
and resources into our state. The radio station 101.5 started, and it was
dedicated to getting rid of Florio, and all the others who supported the

anti-assault weapon legislation. And it worked. Florio lost by the
slimmest margin- less than 1% of 1% of the vote. I truly believe that was
the beginning of the media taking over our political process.
So... I was out of a job, and stayed at home with the kids for a few years.
Then, I started seeing really ugly letters to the editor in our local town
paper about affordable housing, and it turned my stomach. It inspired
me to get back involved in politics, and I was an elected Democrat
Committee person in my town in Burlington County for 19 years. In
2004, I ran the local campaign for 3 town council seats, and for the first
time in history democrats took control. So, there IS hope!
That takes us to this moment in time, and affordable housing is once
again one of the issues driving me to get involved here. I am a local
realtor, and we get calls EVERY day from people looking for affordable
year-round rentals, and EVERY day we have to tell them we do not have
anything for them. We obviously cannot dictate the market, but we can
as a society decide that it’s important to make it possible for people
who grew up here to be able to stay. So many of our local businesses
depend on tourism to make their money, but if the workers can’t afford
to live here, where is that going to lead? I’m not saying there is a simple
solution, but the government and private sector need to acknowledge
this is a major issue and work together to try and solve it.
I know there are many issues facing Lower Township, and that I have a
lot to learn. I certainly can’t promise that I have the answers, but I can
promise that I am going into this with the best of intentions. I can
promise to be ethical, and to work hard to serve in my town that I have
come to love so very much.
Thank you for your time!

05/29/2026

Hello Friends of LTDC, please meet Ward 3 Lower Township Council Candidate, Michelle Simmons.

________________________________________________

Hi my name is Michelle Simmons, and I am running for Lower Township Council, Ward 3, and would like to introduce myself.

I grew up in Middle Township with three siblings, raised by a single mother. I was forced to grow up at a very young age, and it created a resilience in me that I am grateful for. I have been a resident of Lower Township for the past 10 years. My husband is a teacher, my children attend Lower Township schools, and I am a small business owner.

I attended Rowan University and earned my degree in history while working at Cape Bank to pay for college. After graduation, I would travel for seasons and then return home to earn money for my next adventure. I have spent time in South America, Central America, Asia, and Europe. Those experiences in different cultures expanded my view and allowed me to see both the strengths of our country and the areas where we still need to grow and improve.

For as long as I can remember, I have had an interest in serving our community. As an example, when cars on our street were driving too fast, I began advocating for safer conditions. I went door to door gathering signatures for a petition to lower the speed limit, contacted the police department, and they placed multiple speed radars, which showed cars were traveling far too fast on our narrow street. I also organized neighbors to attend township meetings with me to speak on the issue. In the end, we successfully had a permanent radar sign installed, which made it safer for our neighbors and children.

That experience taught me something important: meaningful change only happens when people are willing to show up and speak up. I have a passion for where we live, a genuine interest in the people who live here, and the desire to make a difference and speak up for our community.

For many years, running for public office was just a dream I talked about with friends and family. Now, I believe the time is right. I want my children to see me make a difference in our community. I want them to understand how working together, with respect and open minds, can help us find common ground and real solutions.

I believe every member of our community deserves to be heard, treated with respect, and given the opportunity to succeed. That is my goal. I’m not a politician. I’m a mom, a wife, a small business owner, a community member, and a friend. I believe I bring the real perspective of the people who live here and that is why I am asking for your support. I will represent our community with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to serving the people who live here.

Thank you for the opportunity.

05/28/2026

Please consider supporting our Commissioner Candidate, David Temple’s fundraiser.

For more information on David campaign, review his website: Templeforcommissioner.com or instagram:

05/26/2026

Don't forget - early voting starts today! Head to the library and cast your vote so you don't forget! Thank you for participating in the process.

05/25/2026

Ed Williamson's latest cartoon, in case you missed it.

05/23/2026

Voter Choice NJ explained how Rank Choice Voting works at our May meeting last week. Please see the link below if you were unable to attend and want to learn more.

RCV functions as an instant runoff. Voters don’t have to pick one candidate, they rank the entire field, in order of preference, without fear that this will hurt the chances of their favorite candidate.

05/23/2026