Council in Bergen, New Jersey

2026 Primary Election

• Ira S. Grotsky — Incumbent Council Member in New Milford, NJ

  Ira Grotsky currently serves as a Council Member, representing the community of New Milford in Bergen County, New Jersey. As an incumbent, he brings experience to his role within the local government. He operates from the New Milford municipal building located at 930 River Road and can be reached via his official email address, igrotsky@newmilfordboro.com, or by phone at 201-967-5044. He is listed among other municipal elected officials in Bergen County, reflecting his ongoing commitment to public service in his local area.

• Matthew S. Seymour — Incumbent New Milford Council President in New Milford, NJ

  Matthew S. Seymour serves as the New Milford Council President, a role through which he actively works to foster community safety and inclusion. He organized and moderated a "Together We Stand: New Milford Anti-Bias Symposium" to combat hate crimes and bias incidents, emphasizing the importance of trust and community connections. Seymour also founded the judicially recognized New Milford and Bergen County Domestic Violence Awareness Symposiums, an initiative that has successfully run for seven years. An attorney by profession, his work reflects a dedication to addressing critical social issues and empowering residents through education and collaboration.

• Joseph G. Loporto — Policy advocate and activist in Bergen, NJ

  Joseph LoPorto is a passionate grassroots activist, writer, and speaker from Bergen County, New Jersey. He champions Second Amendment, civil liberties, and civil rights, testifying before the NJ legislature. He directs the Civil Liberties Policy Research Center of New Jersey. His background includes 14 years on Wall Street and over a decade as a small business owner. A volunteer first responder, he holds degrees from St. Peter's University and Seton Hall University School of Law. He is a member of the NRA and Federalist Society. He actively opposes the 2026 budget targeting gun owners and supports eliminating concealed carry permit fees.

• Malcolm Sillars — Business owner in New Milford, NJ

  Malcolm Sillars is a long-term resident of New Milford, having lived there for 27 years. He brings extensive business acumen from owning and managing several private companies, encompassing problem-solving, budgeting, and negotiation skills. Sillars has also served the community by co-chairing a non-profit dog rescue and initiating a "stay warm" campaign for the homeless in Newark and NYC in 2018. He advocates for a bipartisan government focused on community betterment over party affiliations and believes in strong, knowledgeable leaders with practical experience. Sillars previously apologized for accidentally reposting an offensive drawing on Facebook, clarifying it was an error and not indicative of racism or Islamophobia. He criticizes opponents who lack real-world and business experience.