While it appeared until the 11th hour that Mayor Carolyn Broullon
would be unopposed in her bid for the mayoral position in the November
election, it would not be the first time a candidate ran unopposed. It happened at least once before, in the first election after Highlands was incorporated as a
borough in 1900.
Broullon had filed her petition for election to her second three year term as
mayor several weeks ago. There was little talk of anyone opposing her for the
post until Michael Warren, who had run for council in the last election, filed his
petition before deadline Tuesday seeking to unseat Broullon. The mayor also
served three years as a councilwoman prior to becoming Mayor.
Broullon’s first term as mayor came in a tightly contested election when she
unseated incumbent Mayor Rick O’Neill and won the seat by three votes after
the close vote was challenged.
In 1900, David Miller was a member and treasurer of the Democrats of
Middletown before the first election in Highlands. He competed in a primary in
October, 1900, with Charles T. Maison and won the primary with two votes to
Maison’s 1. Maison then ran for one of the four council seats and was again
defeated. In his third attempt to get on the ballot, Maison was successful in
beating W.S.Armstrong and Robert Savage for the post of collector.
The Democrat team was unopposed the following week when Highlands held its
first election.
