Chatham Borough Elections 2023: See Who's Running For Mayor, Council

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham Borough will have a new mayor next year, as Thaddeus Kobylarzrecently announced that he won't seek re-election.

The filing deadline for the primary election was Monday and multiple candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the open seats on the Chatham Borough Council.

There are three seats up for grabs: the mayor, who will serve a four-year term, and two council seats, which will serve three-year terms.

No local contests are expected in this year's primary election.

Council member Carolyn Dempsey has put in a nomination for mayor.

Dempsey, who is currently serving her second term on the council, is well known for her exceptional people skills, compassion for her constituents and thoughtful leadership.

Brian Hargrove and Justin Strickland have put in a bid for the two open council seats.

Hargrove has lived in the Borough for 18 years and has raised three children in the Chatham School system with his wife Judy-Ann. Hargrove currently serves on the Borough's Joint Recreation Advisory Committee.

Strickland has been a resident of the Borough for five years and is a member of the Historic Preservation Commission. Strickland is a combat veteran who earned a Bronze Star for his service on the front lines in Iraq. He also worked in the Pentagon as a civilian and received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Outstanding Achievement Award for his work in Afghanistan.

The three incumbents in the mayoral and council seats chose not to run for re-election this year but are unanimous in wishing the new team well in their work for the Chatham Borough community.

“Thad, Len, and Frank will be sorely missed,” said Dempsey. “However, I understand that being an elected official on behalf of the Borough requires a huge time commitment and that these great public servants have given much more than their share. All three have brought their passion and talents to their work for the Borough, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their contributions to our community.”