The Atlantic County Democratic Committee has selected Rev. Collins Days Sr., a longtime Atlantic City pastor and community leader, to fill the county commissioner seat left vacant by the passing of Commissioner Ernest Coursey.
Days, who had already announced his candidacy for the First District seat on Feb. 19, will be sworn in at the board’s Sept. 2 meeting in Northfield.
He is the pastor of the 2,000-member Second Baptist Church in Atlantic City, the largest congregation in Atlantic County, and has served the community for more than 30 years.
Two days before Days announced his candidacy, his church hosted the kickoff for Mayor Marty Small’s re-election campaign.
Known for his strong connections to the city and its leadership, Days has been active in civic, faith-based and nonprofit efforts focused on improving the lives of residents across Atlantic County.
“I fell in love with this area when I first came to preach here 30 years ago,” Days said in a news release. “Atlantic County is a wonderful place to live, but many of our folks are struggling to make ends meet. When I heard that Commissioner Coursey was not seeking re-election, I knew that the residents of Absecon Island needed a strong advocate like Ernest to help lower costs, improve our roads, and help those in need. That’s why I’m proud to announce my candidacy for County Commissioner.”
Coursey, who decided not to seek a fifth term due to health issues, had publicly endorsed Days before his death.
“I am so honored and humbled that my dear friend Ernest Coursey has been so encouraging of my candidacy,” Days said. “My goal is to be as effective of a county commissioner as Ernest was to improve the quality of life for residents of the First District.”
The First District includes Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate and Longport.
Days will serve as the only Democrat on the nine-member Board of County Commissioners until the end of the year, when Coursey’s term was set to expire. He will also be on the ballot in the November General Election, facing Atlantic City Councilman George Tibbitt, a former Democrat who switched parties earlier this year to run as a Republican.
Beyond his pastoral leadership, Days has a long record of public service. In 2021, he was unanimously approved by both Republicans and Democrats to join the Stockton University Board of Trustees. He has also served as president of the Fellowship of Churches of Atlantic City & Vicinity and was a member of the Atlantic City Long Term Recovery Group, which supported Absecon Island residents rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy, according to Days’ website for his candidacy.
His nonprofit work has focused on addiction recovery, expanding homeownership opportunities and mentoring at-risk youth.
Days graduated from South Carolina State University, where he first felt called to the ministry. In 1982, while still in college, he accepted a pastoral role at Round-O Baptist Church in Darlington, South Carolina.
He went on to serve the Darlington congregation and community for 13 years before relocating with his family to Atlantic City, where he still lives with his wife. Together, they have four children and eight grandchildren.
