Our Team for Lower Township

Elizabeth Blair-Slemmer

Candidate for Township Council Ward 2

Hi, my name is Beth Blair-Slemmer, and I hope you will consider casting your vote for me to represent Ward 2 in Lower Township! I would like to share a little bit about myself, and why I am running.

Brief background information for me: I grew up in a small town in Camden County, just me, my brother and parents. I graduated from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) with a degree in Political Science and worked in that field for several years. I moved to Moorestown in 1991, got married, raised my 3 kids, and got remarried to the love of my life who has 7 kids- we call ourselves "Brady Bunch on Steroids"! My second career as a realtor started in 2005, and that brought me to deSatnick Real Estate in 2018. My husband and I came to North Cape May for the first time in 2012 and it was love at first sight- we bought our home here less than a year later! We moved here full- time in 2020 and could not be happier.

When I worked in politics and government, it was a good and honorable thing to be in public service. What was remarkably different then is that the Democrats and Republicans got along, we worked well together, we liked each other. It deeply saddens me how divided we have become, and I truly hope we can get back to working together for a common purpose.

While I lived in Moorestown, I was very involved in civic activities: the Home and School Association, the Girls Scouts, the Moorestown Improvement Association, the Township Low and Moderate Income Housing Committee, and I was an elected Democrat Committee person for many years. Again, many of my friends were on the other side of the aisle, and I still have many of those friendships.

That takes us to this moment in time, and the issues that are driving me to get involved here. In my job as a local realtor, 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. We are also seeing a marked increase in new construction, small homes being torn down to make way for much larger homes. It is imperative that we plan for this growth, and work together to manage 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 taking the time to read this, and I hope I have the opportunity to represent you and our beautiful town!

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Michelle Simmons

Candidate for Township Council Ward 3

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 this opportunity.

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