Douglas Palmer is expected to announce today that he won't seek re-election to a sixth term as Mayor of Trenton next year.  The 68-year-old Palmer has served as mayor since 1990, when he ousted incumbent Carmen Armenti by less than 297 votes to become Trenton's first African American mayor.  Armenti, who had been Mayor from 1966 to 1970, took office after the death of longtime incumbent Arthur Holland.

Former Freeholder Tony Mack, who challenged Palmer in 2006, will announce his candidacy tomorrow.

Palmer has held public office since 1982, when he was elected to the Mercer County Board of Freeholders at age thirty.  He succeeded John Watson, the father of Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman, who had been elected to his first term in the State Assembly.  After his narrow mayoral win in 1990, he was re-elected with 73% in 1994 and 74% in 1998.  His weakest effort came in his last race, four years ago, when he was held to 53%.