Editing Somers Point, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Somers Point is governed under the [[City (New Jersey)|City]] form of government, as one of 15 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government.<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> The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member City Council, all elected on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor serves a four-year term, with a single council [[at-large]] seat and one council member from each of the two [[Ward (United States)|wards]] up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<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><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=4 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 4. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Mayor is responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the municipality. As the city's Chief Executive Officer, the Mayor puts into effect the municipal laws, known as ordinances. The Mayor can veto ordinances and may vote in the event of a tie. The Mayor makes appointments to certain boards, including the Planning Board, Recreation Commission, and Environmental Commission. The Council elects one of its members as president to chair the Council meetings and perform the other duties of a presiding officer. The City Council enacts ordinances, adopts an annual budget and sets policy for the city.<ref>[http://www.somerspointgov.org/mainpages/government.asp Government], City of Somers Point. Accessed May 23, 2024.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the [[Mayor]] of Somers Point is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Dennis Tapp, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2027.<ref name=Mayor>[http://www.somerspointgov.org/mainpages/mayor.asp Mayorr], City of Somers Point. Accessed May 23, 2024.</ref> Members of the City Council are Council President Janice Johnston (R, 2024; 1st Ward), Richard L. DePamphilis III (R, 2026; 1st Ward), Charles J. Haberkorn (R, 2026; 2nd Ward), Howard W. Dill (R, 2024; 2nd Ward), Joseph T. McCarrie Jr. (R, 2024; At Large), Sean T. McGuigan (R, 2025; 1st Ward) and Michael Owen (R, 2025; 2nd Ward).<ref>[https://www.somerspointgov.org/mainpages/council.asp City Council], City of Somers Point. Accessed May 23, 2024.</ref><ref>[http://www.somerspointgov.org/pdfs/0121_introbudget_2024.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], City of Somers Point. Accessed May 23, 2024.</ref><ref name=Govt>[https://www.atlanticcountynj.gov/government/government-information/municipal-governments Municipal Governments], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]]. Accessed May 23, 2024.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Atlantic/119051/web.317647/#/summary 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]], updated November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2022>[https://www.atlanticcountyclerk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022-General-Election-Results-Amended-v.1.pdf 2022 General Election Results - Amended], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey|Atlantic County]] Clerk, updated December 5, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Atlantic/111509/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]], updated January 4, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2022.</ref>

After Stacy Ferreri resigned in January 2022 from her seat expiring in December 2023, the City Council appointed Ken Adams, though Adams was forced to step down in February after it was discovered that he had a felony conviction that disqualified him from serving. In March 2022, Richard DePamphilis was appointed to fill the vacant seat.<ref>[https://ocnjsentinel.com/somers-point-council-picks-depamphilis/ "Somers Point Council picks DePamphilis"],''Ocean City Sentinel'', March 2, 2022. Accessed July 29, 2022. "Republicans cited his lengthy government experience in appointing Richard DePamphilis to the open Ward I seat Feb. 24, despite strong support for another nominee.... Members voted 4-1 in favor of DePamphilis over Democrat Lisa Bender.... Former Councilwoman Stacy Ferreri resigned in January, one year into her term.... City Council then unanimously appointed Ken Adams on Jan. 27 to take her place. However, Adams was forced to resign Feb. 3 because it was revealed that his felony conviction in 2004 for theft and misconduct while chief of the Northfield Police Department barred him from serving."</ref> In the November 2022 general election, DePamphilis won the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Atlantic2022/>

In August 2019, the City Council selected Janice Johnston from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the First Ward seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Ron Meischker until he resigned the previous month after announcing that he was moving out of the city.<ref>Kelleher, Kristen. [http://www.ocsentinel.com/news/johnston-is-new-council-member-in-somers-point/article_db77b73e-ca6f-11e9-ab11-3b96a541cf67.html "Johnston is new council member in Somers Point"], ''Ocean City Sentinel'', August 29, 2029. Accessed March 8, 2020. "Somers Point City Council swore in a new council member, Janice Johnston, during a Thursday, Aug. 22, meeting. Johnston will take over former City Councilman Ron Meischker’s term. Meischker resigned from the council last month. In his resignation letter, Meischker wrote that he purchased a property outside of Somers Point and planned to move out of the city."</ref>

In September 2017, the City Council selected Ron Meischker from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican Municipal Committee to fill the vacant 1st Ward seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Thomas Smith until he resigned from office earlier that month.<ref>Marino, Suzanne. [http://www.shorenewstoday.com/mainland/somers-point-harbormaster-meischker-appointed-to-city-council/article_6c7d3af6-67f0-54d7-ad27-bc7c993592d7.html "Somers Point Harbormaster Meischker appointed to City Council"], ''The Current of Linwood, Northfield and Somers Point'', September 20, 2017. Accessed January 23, 2018. "Longtime local Republican campaign chairman Ron Meischker was selected last week to replace 1st ward Councilman Thomas Smith on City Council.... Meischker was one of three names proffered by the Republican Club to replace Smith, a seven-year veteran of the governing body who resigned effective Sept. 11."</ref>

In January 2016, the City Council selected James Toto from three names nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the 2nd Ward seat expiring in 2017 that was vacated by Maureen Kern when she took office as a member of the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders.<ref>Lowe, Claire. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/northfield_linwood_somers-point/toto-selected-to-replace-kern-on-somers-point-council/article_012965e8-bef5-11e5-8fda-339bcc15d3df.html "Toto selected to replace Kern on Somers Point Council"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', January 19, 2016. Accessed June 15, 2016. "Republican James Toto will fill the vacancy on Somers Point Council created by newly seated Freeholder Maureen Kern. Kern, who represented the 2nd Ward, resigned effective Jan. 5 with two years left of her third three-year term. At its Jan. 14 meeting, council approved Toto to fill the vacancy until December 2016."</ref> Toto served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term.<ref name=Atlantic2016>[http://atlanticcountyclerk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016-Atlantic-County-General-Election-Results1.pdf General Election Results - November 8, 2016], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 30, 2017.</ref>

In elections held on November 8, 2011, Jack Glasser defeated Democrat-turned Independent Daniel Gudauskas by 1,650–558, making it the largest margin of victory in a contested election on the municipal level in Somers Point history. Triboletti and Kern ran unopposed in the first and second wards respectively.<ref>Smith, Shaun. [http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/mainland-/news/18207-glasser-kern-triboletti-win-re-election-in-somers-point.html "Glasser, Kern, Triboletti win re-election in Somers Point "], ''Shore News Today'', November 9, 2011. Accessed November 27, 2011. "Republican John L. "Jack" Glasser has been elected here to his second term as mayor, and he will be joined by fellow incumbent council members Maureen Kern and Ralph Triboletti."</ref>