Don't miss out on exclusive stories and features on FRNJ Extra. Subscribe Now.
By Clyde Hughes | AC JosepH Media
MOORESTOWN – Next year, Moorestown will celebrate the 100th year of its incorporation as a township, and Quinton Law, 24, has established himself as part of its history.
In January, Law became the first African American and youngest person ever to sit on the Moorestown Town Council, helping shape this Philadelphia suburb in South Jersey.
In November, he added to that legacy becoming the first Black and youngest ever elected to the post in a close election.
"It was surreal," Law told Front Runner New Jersey.com about the election day evening Nov. 2 when it dawned him that he would win the election.
Quinton Law (2nd left) stands with mother Heather Laisi (L), Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie and father Kevin Law in January. Photo courtesy of Quinton Law
"It was an honor to be appointed but that feeling of being elected and having the community say that they trust me to represent them and make this town good for their families; that's really an honor," he added.
Law proved himself to be a determined campaigner, working hard to reach out into the community where he was born and raised to ask for their vote. He praised the people who worked on his campaign, many he's known personally while growing up in Moorestown.
"I think this is a testament to our hard work," Law said. "I've just been doing a lot of reflecting on the history of our community and what this means and I think this is a really special time in Moorestown history."
Law said there were some tense moments on election night because of the confusion over counting mail-in ballots and election day voting.
“We were winning about three-to-one vote by mail, which was, awesome,” Law said. “In in-person voting, we were down a little bit but the mail-in numbers that we had were large enough to maintain a lead outside of election night.
Quinton Law talks with constituent. Photo courtesy of Quinton Law
“Even so, there were some news sources that reported that my opponent was the projected winner based solely off of in-person voting. I did feel nervous in the beginning because I was hearing how it was a bad election day for Democrats across the state. But I trusted the work that we put in and our community.”
In the end, Law edged out Republican local businessman Vick Bobadilla with 52% of the vote to earn his place in township history.
Money Magazine ranked Moorestown the top place to live in the United States in 2005 in its list of the 100 best places to live in America because of its outstanding schools, proximity to Philadelphia and low crime rate. In the most current Census statistics, its population is 85% White and 6% Black.
He was born in Moorestown to Kevin Law and Heather Laisi and attended Bryant University on a football scholarship after graduating from Moorestown High School in 2015.
Law was an honors student at Bryant, winner of its prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award before graduating in 2019 with a degree in economics concentrated in public policy. He worked on the campaign of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and is currently employed by Booker's office as a constituent advocate.
Law said while it is an honor to be elected to council, he recognizes it is a huge responsibility and the hard work of governing – along with dealing with another election next year to win a full four-year term – is just beginning.
“It’s a big responsibility I carry with me every single day,” Law said. “I know there are issues that young people in town are interested in. I know there are issues that Black people and our Communities of Color are interested in. Those issues have needed to be raised for a long time here. Just this past year, I’ve talked to residents who just say ‘Thank you for bringing up issues like Adams Park and the West End Center in Moorestown.'”
Law said when he went knocking on doors, he gave less of a sales pitch on his candidacy and asked residents how he could best serve the community. That struck a chord with many he encountered.
“I was having people say, ‘I've never had anybody come knock on my door and ask how they can best serve their families as a councilperson,” Law said. “That really opened my eyes and showed me, ‘Wow, when you just listen to folks, it becomes much easier to be a strong advocate.’ I think that's what good leaders do. They listen.”
Residents responded in kind. Susan Lavine Coleman, in a Letter to the Editor in Patch.com before the election, expressed her appreciation for Law reaching out “to thousands” from subjects as small as fallen trees to as large as bringing new business opportunities to Moorestown’s Main Street district.
“He approaches every conversation as a chance to learn and serve Moorestonians more effectively,” she wrote. “… After members of our community spoke out about feeling excluded and unheard, Quinton joined the 'Moorestown Better Together' task force' to create a more informed, innovative, and inclusive Moorestown.
“Since joining Town Council, Quinton Law has demonstrated a commitment to listening and representing everyone, even those who don't agree with him on one issue or another. And I appreciate that,” Coleman added.
Law currently chairs the scholarship committee for the Moorestown Alumni Association, where he led the effort to create a need-based scholarship for low-income students. He also serves as the education chair for the Southern Burlington County NAACP, where he focuses on equity in education across South Jersey. He is a founding member of Moorestown Alumni for Racial Equity & Inclusion (MAREI), where he engaged in the work of collaborating with stakeholders in the school system and community to advocate for students of color.
Along with serving Moorestown, he is also now a part of the township’s history forever.
QUESTION: Should Quentin Law be given a full-term on Moorestown Town Council next year? Why? Post your answers in the discussion box below.
What’s New on Front Runner New Jersey.com?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Us Today On:
Check Out FRNJ EXTRA Here. Note from AC JosepH Media: If you like this story and others posted on Front Runner New Jersey.com., lend us a hand so we can keep producing articles like these for New Jersey and the world to see. Click on SUPPORT FRNJ and make a contribution that will do directly in making more stories like this available. Thank you for reading.
