Richard Howe, Jr., who has served as  Middlesex North Register of Deeds since 1995, confirmed recent speculation  he will not seeking re-election to the office when his term expires on January 1, 2025.

Howe made the announcement on his Substack this morning, writing “it has been a privilege to represent you as Register of Deeds, and I sincerely thank everyone who has supported me in my past elections.”

Howe won a razor-thin victory over Karin Theodoros and a field of seven other candidates in the 1994 Democratic primary, before going on to win the General Election. In his soon to be 30-years on the job, he has been widely lauded for his efforts to modernize the office. The Substack article notes that he digitized every document recorded since 1629, over 14-million records, and making those records available on the registry website at no cost to the user.

Howe’s future has been a topic of discussion over the past several months, with political insiders predicting the move and even speculating on potential candidates to replace him.

Karen Cassella, a long-time employee in the office who ran against Howe in 2018, is believed to have interest in making another run. Cassella’s challenge came as an unenrolled candidate the last time, though there is some discussion about running in the Democratic primary this time.

Another name often popping up in discussion is that of Lowell City Councilor Vesna Nuon. Nuon, who is seeking re-election to his At-Large Council seat next month, is a proven vote-getter in the Mill City who has also been expanding his political reach and would be a formidable candidate.

No doubt there will be other recognizable names popping up as interested in running over the coming days and weeks. As always, stay with InsideLowell for the latest developments on what promises to be a hotly contested election during a Presidential election year, no less.