Two Democrats running for mayor of Highland Park

HIGHLAND PARK – Two women, a longtime borough official and a resident who has sought public office on two occasions in recent years, are running for mayor in the Democratic primary.

The winner of the Democratic primary between Mayor Elsie Foster and Monique Coleman should cruise to victory in November’s general election. No Republican filed in the race.

Foster has the backing of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, while Coleman is running under the Highland Park Democratic Party banner.

Councilmen Matthew Hersh and Jason Postelnik are running uncontested in the Democratic primary. No Republican challengers have filed to run in these races either, according to the Borough Clerk's office. Postelnik was appointed earlier this year to fill the council seat vacated by Foster.

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Foster served on the Borough Council since 2000 before being named council president and acting mayor earlier this year following the Dec. 31, 2022, resignation of Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler. Foster was then elected mayor in late January by the Council and will serve until the end of the year.

Coleman previously ran for mayor in the 2019 Democratic primary against Brill Mittler, and unsuccessfully sought an appointment to the Borough Council in 2020 to fill a vacancy following the death of a council member.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Highland Park mayor election: Elsie Foster facing Monique Coleman