Editing Cape May Point, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
[[File:CapeMaYpOINTMuniBldg.jpg|thumb|left|Municipal building]]
Cape May Point operates under the [[Walsh Act]] [[City commission government|commission form of government]], first created to rebuild the city of [[Galveston, Texas]] after the devastating [[Galveston Hurricane of 1900|Hurricane of 1900]].<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 8.</ref> Cape May Point is one of 30 (of the 564) municipalities statewide to use this form of government, most in shore communities, down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Proctor, Owen; and Sobko, Katie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/nutley/2018/04/30/town-commissions-have-become-nj-rarity-new-jersey/554873002/ "Town commissions have become a New Jersey rarity"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127155936/https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/nutley/2018/04/30/town-commissions-have-become-nj-rarity-new-jersey/554873002/ |date=November 27, 2021 }}, ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', April 30, 2018, updated May 6, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Commissions rose in popularity, up to 60 statewide in the early part of the last century, from large cities and older suburbs to seaside resorts.... Today, only about 30 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. There are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County."</ref> In three-member Commissions, as in Cape May Point, the Departments of Public Affairs and Public Safety are combined, as are the Departments of Public Works and Parks and Public Property. Revenue and Finance is the third portfolio. The borough adopted this form of government in 1916.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150605155532/http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF "The Commission Form of Municipal Government"], p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=8 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 8. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected [[at-large]] on a [[non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] basis in the November general election to serve concurrent four-year terms of office. Cape May Point shifted its municipal elections from May to November, extending the term-end dates from June 30 to December 31 for the commissioners elected in 2012.<ref>Ianieri, Brian. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/state-will-let-new-jersey-municipalities-abandon-may-elections-next/article_14a7e856-5bc3-11df-9fc4-001cc4c03286.html "State will let New Jersey municipalities abandon May elections next year — if they want to"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812234607/http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/state-will-let-new-jersey-municipalities-abandon-may-elections-next/article_14a7e856-5bc3-11df-9fc4-001cc4c03286.html |date=August 12, 2016 }}, ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', May 9, 2010. Accessed June 28, 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/candidate-information/municipal-elections/ Municipal Elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615070659/http://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/candidate-information/municipal-elections/ |date=June 15, 2016 }}, [[Cape May County, New Jersey]]. Accessed June 28, 2016.</ref>
The Commissioners exercise complete control of the operation of the borough, with each Commissioner having all aspects of Administrative, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative powers over their department. The three Commissioners choose a mayor from among themselves at a reorganization meeting following each election, with the mayor responsible for leading municipal meetings and general oversight of community affairs.

[[File:Cape may.jpg|thumb|left|Sunset at [[Sunset Beach (New Jersey)|Sunset Beach]], just outside Cape May Point in Lower Township<!--from https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/lower-township-and-cape-may-point-on-the-road/article_c66bf6eb-48cf-5d93-99d9-b07ed4943dae.html-->]]
{{As of|2024}}, the members of the Board of Commissioners of Cape May Point are 
Mayor Robert J. Moffatt (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety), 
Deputy Mayor Anita vanHeeswyk (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) and 
Catherine Busch (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), all serving concurrent terms of office ending December 31, 2024.<ref name=Commissioners>[https://capemaypoint.org/mayor.php Board of Commissioners], Borough of Cape May Point. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://capemaypoint.org/uploaded_files/document/2024/2024%20Adopted%20Budget.pdf#page=17 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Cape May Point. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=CapeMayOfficials>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-All-Elected-Officials-INTERNET-July.pdf 2024 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2024], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], July 9, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2020>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-Successful-General-Candidates.pdf Cape May County 2020 General Election Successful Candidates], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], December 14, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
[[File:CapeMayPointPostOfficeNJ.JPG|thumb|left|Cape May Point Post Office]]
Cape May Point is located in the 2nd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219202014/https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf |date=February 19, 2020 }}, [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802063544/https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf |date=August 2, 2020 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105221009/https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf |date=November 5, 2019 }}, New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#1 Districts by Number for 2011-2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714024328/https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#1 |date=July 14, 2019 }}, [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 02}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 01}}

{{NJ Cape May County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 212 registered voters in Cape May Point, of which 99 (46.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]], 63 (29.7%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], and 50 (23.6%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-capemay-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Cape May] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528071914/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-capemay-co-summary-report.pdf |date=May 28, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 52.0% of the vote (91 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 47.4% (83 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (1 vote), among the 176 ballots cast by the borough's 225 registered voters (1 ballot was [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 78.2%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-cape-may.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Cape May County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014 |archive-date=December 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225055131/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-cape-may.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Cape May County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014 |archive-date=December 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225063104/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 53.9% of the vote (103 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]], who received 44.5% (85 votes), with 191 ballots cast among the borough's 203 registered voters, for a turnout of 94.1%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528065924/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf |date=May 28, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 53.3% of the vote (114 ballots cast), outpolling Republican [[George W. Bush]], who received around 45.8% (98 votes), with 214 ballots cast among the borough's 237 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 90.3.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_capemay_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528071637/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_capemay_co_2004.pdf |date=May 28, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential elections results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-capemay.pdf|title=Presidential November 5, 2024 General Election Results Cape May County|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|28.9% ''48''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''68.7%''' ''114''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-capemay.pdf|title=Presidential November 3, 2020 General Election Results Cape May County|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.9% ''66''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.5%''' ''110''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results – November 8, 2016 – Cape May County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.9% ''62''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.7%''' ''78''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref name="2012Election">{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-cape-may.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Cape May County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.4% ''83''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.0%''' ''91''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]<ref name="state.nj.us">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-cape-may.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.5% ''85''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.9%''' ''103''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]'''<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_capemay_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.8% ''98''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.3%''' ''114''
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 66.9% of the vote (85 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 30.7% (39 votes), and other candidates with 2.4% (3 votes), among the 129 ballots cast by the borough's 209 registered voters (2 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.7%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-cape-may.pdf |title=Governor - Cape May County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133332/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-cape-may.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Cape May County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133301/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-capemay.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Republican Chris Christie received 47.0% of the vote (79 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 43.5% (73 votes) and Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 9.5% (16 votes), with 168 ballots cast among the borough's 220 registered voters, yielding a 76.4% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-cape-may.pdf 2009 Governor: Cape May County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017225450/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-cape-may.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 16, 2012.</ref>

===Law enforcement and public safety===
Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Department provides fire department services. The spring 1908 Lankenau Villa fire prompted Cape May Point officials to ask for a fire department to be organized the following July, and the borough had two fire carts by 1911. In 1923 a borough ordinance allowed for the creation of the Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Department, with a truck and fire station acquired and established, respectively, in 1924.<ref>Jordan, ISBN 0-7643-1830-6, p. 81.</ref>

From the establishment of Cape May Point borough it had an independent police department using ordinary residents filling in as "special" police instead of salaried police, although eventually its police department was reformed into a standard one. Cape May Point began contracting with West Cape May Police in 1986.<ref>Jordan, ISBN 0-7643-1830-6, p. 113.</ref> Cape May Point ended the arrangement in 2001, which contributed to West Cape May disbanding its police department, about 40 percent of which had been paid for by Cape May Point.<ref>Bora, Madhusmita. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-mayors-to-sign-po/125252866/ "Mayors to sign police pact for Cape May, Point, West Cape May"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', November 21, 2001. Accessed May 24, 2023.</ref> The two boroughs then contracted with Cape May City to provide law enforcement for both, effective upon the dissolution of the West Cape May Police on January 1, 2002.<ref>Degener, Richard. [https://newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-police-investigat/125253162/ "Police investigate placing of pig's head at home of West Cape May official"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', January 8, 2002. Accessed May 24, 2023.</ref> The three-municipality law enforcement arrangement, which had been discussed for over 25 years, was the first of its kind in New Jersey and proved popular.<ref>Degener, Richard. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-regional-police-f/125253395/ "Regional police force a win, win, win for 3 Capes"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', December 15, 2002. Accessed May 24, 2023.</ref>

Cape May Point, upon incorporation, had a one-room jail. Joe Jordan, author of ''Cape May Point, The Illustrated History-1875 to the Present'', stated that "if one is to believe local gossip" that the jail likely served as a [[drunk tank]], and Jordan wrote that it "may have held several world's records as the smallest jail, with the fewest inmates, and the shortest periods of incarceration."<ref name=Jordanp80>Jordan, ISBN 0-7643-1830-6, p. 80.</ref> The borough put the facility for sale in 1927 but rejected the sole bid and turned it into storage for the fire department after moving it behind the current fire station location. It was moved to [[Historic Cold Spring Village]] in [[Cold Spring, New Jersey|Cold Spring]] in 1983.<ref name=Jordanp80/>

===Infrastructure===
Cape May Point began using Cape May City's water system {{circa|1970s}} as Cape May Point's well water system was near the maximum salt content allowed under New Jersey law. The water distribution system was rebuilt in the 1980s and 1990s, and a new water tank replaced the previous one in 1995, with the former water tank dismantled. Its water costs increased when Cape May City built a desalinization plant in the late 1990s.<ref name=Jordanp117>Jordan, ISBN 0-7643-1830-6, p. 117.</ref>

The Cape May Point Water and Sewer Utility, created in 1980, is an agency that is separate from the Cape May Point borough government. A sewage treatment plant opened in 1938, but it put untreated sewage into the water, so Cape May Point agreed to use Cape May City sewage facilities after the [[New Jersey Department of Health]] in October 1941 demanded that Cape May Point change its practices with a fine as possible punishment. Cape May Point also helped pay for a new sewage plant Cape May City opened {{circa|1960–1961}}.<ref name=Jordanp117/>