Blair Hill, Mullica Hill
Many residents may be surprised to learn that for each voting district, there should be a male and female representative for the Democratic Committee. These representatives are responsible for voicing the concerns of party residents in their district and encouraging voter turnout. However for years, spots on this committee have gone unfilled and the committee has remained largely quiet. As an important primary election looms on June 5, the committee should be a visible force, educating our town residents about local candidates and rallying turnout at the polls. The current committee, however, seems uninterested in these efforts.
The Democratic Party in Harrison Township, is alive and well, despite a lack of support from the current committee. It can be found in the Facebook group, Harrison Township NJ Democrats/Progressives, where Kelly Redkoles has organized a grassroots movement of activism, gathering together passionate members of the town to call upon members of Congress and hold them accountable, write postcards to encourage voter turnout, and brainstorm ways to bring life to the party. It can be found at Indivisible meetings at the Mullica Hill Library, where local residents have had opportunities to engage with candidates for Congress and educate themselves on pressing national issues. It can be found at local Moms Demand Action meetings where passionate individuals from our town advocate for awareness and solutions to the gun violence issue plaguing our country.
If the Democratic Party wants to see success in future elections, it needs to find ways to embrace and harness the momentum that grassroots movements are gaining. On June 5, we have an opportunity to do just that in our town, by voting for candidates from the “Harrison Township Democrats” column G for our town’s Democratic Committee. While these candidates support progressive ideals and are committed to action, they recognize terms like “Democrat” and “Republican” are somewhat abstract when discussing issues at a hometown level and support the Harrison First movement. To learn more about these candidates and their vision for the committee, look for “Vote Harrison Township Democrats” on Facebook. Whatever your party, don’t forget to vote on June 5. Please take the time to learn about the positions and candidates on the ballot. The primaries are your chance to participate in shaping the future.
