Quinton Law’s journey into public policy began in his senior year of high school with a course on underrepresented voices – an experience that, compared to most politicians, is still relatively recent.
“We were really challenged to think about our perspective of the world and how it compares to how stories are told of those who have been underrepresented throughout history,” says Law. “It made me think about what my story would be – and how I could help others write theirs.”
Today, that’s exactly what he’s doing. Law is the First Black mayor of Moorestown, not to mention the youngest mayor in the city’s history. But age doesn’t always equate to lack of experience, he says. He has served on township council since 2021, elected at age 23 – again, the youngest in the city’s history – and became deputy mayor in 2023 under Mayor Nicole Gillespie.
“I believe the only way we can truly change the world around us is through policy and law,” says Law, who was heavily involved in Young Democrats both locally in Moorestown and at Bryant University in Rhode Island. “I wanted to understand how the government and law works, so I could get a better perspective of those systems and find the tools to change them for the better.”
“But people definitely still question. They say, ‘Who are you? What could you have done?’ And I break it down for them. The fact is, I’ve worked in public service and brought real, tangible results.”
Growing up in Moorestown, he says, he had a different perspective on the town than many of his peers. Law was born to teenage parents – 19 years old when they had him – which came with barriers many of his classmates didn’t have.
“I learned early on that not every family had the same access within the community,” he says. “I grew up Medicaid insured, and I remember my parents sitting me down in high school while I was dealing with health issues to tell me that even though our area has so many great doctors, I didn’t have access to all of them.”
“So as I moved through college,” he says. “I started examining those types of systems and saw more inequities. I saw that so often, the more connected or wealthy you were, the better off you were going to be in those systems. And it didn’t seem right.”
However, he says, his childhood also allowed him to see more of what the community had to offer.
“I spent more time in the library than anyone I knew, and I went to open basketball rec programs almost every day,” says Law. “Now I want to make sure kids get the most out of those recreational programs like I did. That’s where I found my love for competition, writing and ultimately public service. That’s where I learned to be proud of where I come from. My parents made sure I had everything I needed to be successful, and I’m hoping we can develop policies that make it easier for parents to do just that, regardless of their circumstances.”
When he graduated college with a degree in economics, Law didn’t want to go into finance or become an economist – he wanted to see what he could do to change the world around him. So three days after graduation, he moved to New Hampshire to work on the 2020 presidential campaign for U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
In the midst of 2020, with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, Law saw young leaders rising in their communities, which inspired him.
“I remember having a conversation with someone here in town about representation in government after a city council seat had just gone vacant,” he says. “They told me we need to find someone that looks like us to represent us at every level – not just at the presidential level, but here locally in our town.”
When he looked it up, he realized that in Moorestown’s 300-year history, there had never been a Black person on the city council.
“So that was the moment where I said, maybe there’s an opportunity here for me to throw my hat in for this seat,” says Law.
When he was first elected at 23, he was the youngest council member and first Black council member in Moorestown history.
“Most people I talk to are excited to see young people get involved and bring a fresh perspective,” Law says. “But people definitely still question. They say, ‘Who are you? What could you have done?’ And I break it down for them. The fact is, I’ve worked in public service and brought real, tangible results.”
His youth, he says, is actually one of his biggest assets, and he encourages others his age to look at it the same way.
“There are so many young people who hesitate to run because they can’t see what’s waiting for them on the other side,” says Law. “Over the past four years, I’ve dedicated myself to encouraging young leaders to take that leap – to run for something – because our voices have been underrepresented in government. When we secure a seat at the table, we have the power to drive meaningful change.”
Today Law continues his commitment to public service, serving as the NJ Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, while leading Moorestown as its mayor.
Law has identified three key issues facing Moorestown: affordable housing obligations, infrastructure improvements and traffic safety.
“We need to make sure we provide our state-mandated obligation for affordable housing,” he says. “Otherwise, we’ll lose our immunity and be liable for builders’ remedy lawsuits, which means developers can come in and build whatever they want. I want to make sure we retain control over how we develop our affordable housing plan.”
Law also says Moorestown’s 100-year-old water main that runs under Main Street will be replaced. “That will be a major, major project that we’re looking to tackle this year.”
And lastly, he plans to address pedestrian safety by reviewing the need for more speed bumps, stop signs and better crosswalks.
But change, while exciting, isn’t always easy for everyone, he says.
“A lot of the time, people resist change because they don’t fully understand what’s happening,” says Law. “This town was founded in 1682, and change can sometimes be daunting. If we as local elected officials can be more transparent, that can build community buy-in and ultimately lead to successful projects all around Moorestown.”
For now, when Law looks into his future, he’s hyper-focused on his work here in Moorestown.
“This community has given my family so much, and I am proud to have the opportunity to play a role in shaping its future,” he says. “My sole focus is on Moorestown and making sure we are a safe and inclusive community.”
“It’s wild – my mom worked at Friendly’s on Main St., so I grew up stopping by to visit her and get ice cream,” he adds. “All of those years I walked by Town Hall, walking up and down Main St. to get there, and now I have the opportunity to give back to this community. It’s a very full-circle moment.”
