Ducey says he’ll resign as Brick mayor in time to allow special election primary

Brick Mayor John Ducey, who is on a rapid path towards becoming a judge of the Superior Court, told the New Jersey Globe today that he’ll resign as mayor next Monday, meaning that there will be enough time for both parties to hold a special primary to fill the remainder of his term.

“I put in my letter of resignation today, and it will be effective on Monday, when the full Senate has their vote,” Ducey said. “If I’m successful, the resignation becomes effective.”

Ducey, a Democrat who has held the mayor’s office since 2014, was nominated to the Superior Court last month. He was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously today and is essentially guaranteed to be confirmed by the full Senate next week.

Once he leaves office, the Democratic municipal committee will submit three names to the Brick Township Council, which will choose the new mayor from among those three options. There will also be a special election for the remaining two years of Ducey’s term, with the primary and general elections held alongside this year’s regularly scheduled elections.

Asked whether he would get involved in that race, Ducey said that he’s “not in a position to endorse anybody at this time.”

Ducey’s continued electoral success as a Democrat is something of an anomaly in Brick, which consistently supports Republicans in other races. Ducey won re-election last year 63%-37% even as Jack Ciattarelli was carrying Brick by 38 points, and his popularity has allowed Democrats to win six of the township’s seven council seats.

With Ducey now headed for the judiciary, Republicans are aiming to bring Brick back into their column, and they’re running perhaps their strongest possible candidate to do so: Assemblyman John Catalano (R-Brick). Four Democratic-held council seats are also up this year, so the GOP will have a chance to win full control of local government.