Greetings from Asbury

5 candidates ran unopposed to become Charter Study commissioners in 2013.  Asbury Park approved the changes in government to directly elect the Mayor.  The council (above left to right) was Amy Quinn, John Loffredo, Myra Campbell, Susan Henderson and John Moor. The council had appointed Campbell as mayor in a controversial 3-2 vote. Everything changed in 2014

Asbury Park's Charter Study Recommendations were passed by ONLY 14% of Voters

If you look at Mayor Elections in the Council-Manager, Directly Elect Mayor structures, the trend is people are elected by only a minority number of registered voters

Is this power to the people?

AP changed their government in 2013. John Moor was directly elected Mayor in 2014 along side his full council who ran as a team on the Asbury Together ticket.  

Mayor Moor is currently in his 8th year.  In 2020 the incumbent Asbury Together ticket won again.   

2014 - The Asbury Together ticket claimed victory in four of the five council seats at stake in Tuesday’s election, which will give them a council majority.

In the Mayor’s race, Moor, currently a councilman, won with  1215 votes out of the 2164 cast.

Only 1215, a minority number of registered voters, all that is needed to become Mayor

2016 - John Moor switches to Democrat Party

“In a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1, it’s only fitting that the mayor of Asbury Park affiliates himself with the progressive and inclusive values that make Asbury Park the premier destination city in New Jersey,”

“We welcome Mayor Moor back to the Democratic Party and look forward to working closely with him in the years ahead,” said Vin Gopal, Monmouth County Democratic  Chair

2019 - Asbury Park's 5th city manager in the past 7 years resigs

Mayor John Moor declined to comment on the manager's departure beyond the statement that offered their well-wishes. Asked why, the mayor said, “because it’s a personnel issue.”

This Council-Manager government seems risky when looking at AP and seeing how often the manager has rotated.

2020 - The four-candidate Asbury Together City Council team, which included City Councilman John Moor at the top of the ticket running for mayor, easily swept the election for five seats in Asbury Park.

Mayor wins with only 1,374 votes

Trend continues - low voter turnout and challenging to get incumbents out

2020 - The Asbury Park Democrats saw a dramatic change in leadership as Angela Ahbez-Anderson was unanimously elected Chair of the Asbury Park Democratic Committee.

“The Asbury Park Democrats are a voice for our city’s values of progressive civic and political activism....We have become one of the most active Democratic committees in Monmouth County and the entire State. For a small city that holds non-partisan elections, we have certainly punched above our weight.” said 4 term chairman Grillo who passed torch to Anderson

2020 - Holmdel Charter Study Chairman, Kin Gee, files Political Action Committee for sole purpose to flip districts to non partisan elections.  Treasurer for PAC is a Holmdel CILU board member and prior Treasurer for past Democrat candidates running for Holmdel Township Committee.

Asbury Park Democratic Chair Angela Ahbez Anderson funds Kin's PAC

2021 - Holmdel Mayor Buontempo introduces Charter Study and signs Kin Gee's petition to become commissioner

2022 - Charter Study Commissioners propose Holmdel changes government to the same exact structure as Asbury Park, only 1% (5 of 565) NJ municipalities use

2022 - Asbury Park Deputy Mayor, Amy Quinn, interviewed by the Holmdel Charter Study Commissioners

Amy mentions that Asbury Park changed their government structure in 2013 because you know, "Asbury's Asbury"

So glad the Holmdel commissioners took this into consideration when proposing the same exact structure as Asbury Park

2022 - Asbury Park Deputy Mayor, Amy Quinn, interviewed by the Holmdel Charter Study Commissioners

Amy mentions why she prefers non partisan elections

She mentions, "certainly trying to create progressive policies, particularly in places like Asbury Park, uhm uhm I'm all for non partisan elections"