New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has nominated Brick Township Mayor John Ducey to serve as a Superior Court Judge, as part of a package of nominees sent to the state Senate.

Ducey, a rare Ocean County Democrat, was nominated along with eight others, as Murphy tries to fill some of the  67 vacancies statewide on the Superior Court.

Ducey, who is also an attorney, has served as the mayor of Brick Township since 2014 following a two-year stint on the township council.

Despite being a solid Republican town, Ducey has won his races easily and the expected vacancy will likely set up a hotly contested election this coming November.

If Ducey is confirmed by the Senate prior to the election, his position would be filled temporarily by a nominee appointed by the township council.

New Jersey Superior Courts are the trial courts in New Jersey.

There is a Superior Court in each of the state’s 21 counties, and approximately 360 Superior Court trial judges across the state.

Superior Courts are divided into five main types: Criminal cases, civil cases, family cases and tax cases.

Cases from any of these trial courts may be appealed in the Appellate Division, and Superior Court appellate decisions may be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Judges for the New Jersey Superior Courts are nominated by the Governor and serve for a seven-year term, after which they become eligible for reappointment.

If reappointed and reconfirmed by the Senate, the judges receive tenure, which allows them to remain in their posts until they reach the age of 70.