Who’s on deck?

Ten months out from the 2025 general election, it’s not clear who might be on the November ballot from the respective political parties seeking Middlesex Borough Council seats.

The seats currently held by Republicans Robert Dessino and Jeremiah Carnes expire at year-end 2025.

Dessino recently told Inside – Middlesex that he will not seek re-election later this year. Carnes had no comment on his intentions when asked, but said he will post about his plans in the future on social media.

The Middlesex Borough Democratic Organization has not publicly indicated whether it intends to run candidates this year. It has been three years since a Democrat has been on the general election ballot. The party did not run candidates for council or the mayoralty in 2023 or 2024.

Mike Hompesch, who formerly served as a councilman and chairman of the Borough of Middlesex Republican Organization (BMRO), has posted on various community Facebook pages recently, noting that the local GOP is looking for people who wish to run for council.

The BMROs philosophy is to “serve the people,” Hompesch wrote, adding that the party is seeking potential candidates who share those ideals. The local GOP, he said, is looking to screen registered Republicans or residents who are “willing to register as Republicans.”

Those ground rules leave open the possibility that the BMRO could enlist a candidate who is currently an unaffiliated voter, or take the highly uncommon step – convince a registered Democrat to flip parties.

Although that’s unlikely, the local Republican Party has done it previously.

In 2023, the BMRO endorsed Kevin Dotey to run for one of two council seats. Dotey won as a Republican as local Democrats put up no candidates that year.

Prior to that, Dotey was elected to council terms in 2012 and 2016 while on the ballot as a Democrat. He also served as a member of the Democratic Municipal Committee. Dotey was defeated in his initial try for a third council term in 2019, while running on a ticket with then-Mayor Ron DiMura.

According to Hompesch , Feb. 1 is the deadline to inform the BMRO of a willingness to screen for the Republican endorsement. The screening will take place later that month. March 24 is the deadline for candidates to file a petition to get on the June primary ballot.

Regardless of who is elected to the council this fall, it will continue to whittle the collective years of experience on the governing body.

Mayor Jack Mikolajczyk served three terms, totaling nine years as a councilman, and has completed one year on his current mayoral term. Prior to being elected to municipal seats, he served on the borough’s Board of Education.

Former Councilmen Doug Rex and Martin Quinn did not seek re-election in 2024. Rex served six years on the council. Quinn served three years and two months.

Carnes is completing his second three-year council term in 2025, a total of six years of service. Dessino is finishing his first term.

Aside from Mikolajczyk and Dotey, the governing body may comprise members who are relatively new entering 2026.

Dotey will be the council member with the most years of service next January, although they will not be consecutive. He is now in his eighth year over three separate terms. Michael Conahan has served two years and five months entering 2025. Councilmen Joe DeScenza and Kenneth Griggs Jr. were recently sworn-in to their respective first council terms.

To those four councilmen, at least one and perhaps two new first-timers will be added in 2026. 

If Carnes were to run and win another term in 2025, he would continue to be the council member with the second most years of experience, trailing only Dotey.

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