LONGPORT – As is expected in an uncontested race, the candidates who vied for a seat on the Board of Commissioners garnered every vote cast in Tuesday’s General Election.
According to the “unofficial” tally of votes published by the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office, incumbent Commissioner Dan Lawler had 377 votes, while Jim Ulmer, a businessman who ran unsuccessfully in the 2020 election, had 374 votes. Newcomer to the political scene, Margate Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Armstrong had 368 votes.
School Board candidate Ryan Slaven, who also ran unopposed, had 343 votes. Although it has no school of its own, Longport sends its children to schools in Margate, Ocean City and Atlantic City.
Lawler, who will be serving his fifth term of office, said he is looking forward to municipal projects started with fellow-Commissioner Jim Leeds, such as road reconstruction projects, bulkhead replacements and other resiliency projects slated for completion in the coming years.
But Lawler would like to add a new offering to the community, he said – building up the Longport Point area, which he said is a destination for Absecon Island visitors.
“I’d like to get something nice done there,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get something done there since my second term, but we are having issues with the DEP which says the area is a dune. It’s not a dune.”
Lawler said he met with the borough engineer to petition the state to allow the area to be improved with a bulkhead and parking to make it attractive to the hundreds of bicyclists and runners who venture to the southernmost point of Absecon Island to see where the bay and the ocean meets and enjoy the vista of Ocean City and fabulous sunsets.
“Really, the town has been doing well for a long time and we’ve done a lot to keep spending and taxes down. It’s exciting to get some new blood to come on the board with new ideas,” he said.
Leeds and Mayor Nick Russo are retiring from public service, effective in early January. The date for a swearing-in ceremony has been set for Jan. 15, 2025.
On behalf of the We Love Longport team, Armstrong thanked the voters for “their kind support.”
“We were one of the top municipalities in the county as far as voter turnout,” Armstrong said. “We had 70% of the registered voters turn out to cast their ballots. That’s a great showing for Longport.”
Armstrong said he is looking forward to working with the team and “doing good things for the residents of Longport.”
“We are ready to hit the ground running,” he said.
Ulmer was out of town and unavailable for comment.
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