NORTHAMPTON — The city’s preliminary election will come on Sept. 16, to help narrow down candidates for the municipal election in November.
Five different races have come from openings on the City Council, as well as for mayor, requiring the upcoming preliminary, as it is triggered when more than twice the number of eligible candidates run for a specific seat.
The upcoming Sept. 16 preliminary election will cut races down for the Nov. 4 municipal election.
In the race are six candidates vying for two City Council at-large seats. Candidates include incumbent Garrick Perry, Yakov Kronrod, Benjamin Spencer, William O’Dwyer, Deborah Henson and Margaret Robbins. The other current at-large councilor, Marissa Elkins, has said she will not be seeking reelection.
The opening for the Ward 1 City Council position comes after incumbent Councilor Stanley Moulton decided not to seek reelection. Candidates looking to claim the open seat are Nikolas Letendre-Cahillane, Michele Ronco and Gwenevra Lodi Nabad.
The Ward 3 City Council seat will see a three-way race between incumbent Quaverly Rothenberg, Laurie Loisel and Ace Tayloe. Rothenberg will be seeking her second term as a councilor.
The Ward 5 City Council position also sees a three-way race between candidates Vincent Rotello IV, David Murphy and Aline Davis. The eventual winner of this ward will replace current Council President Alex Jarret who is not seeking reelection.
Wards 2, 4, 6 and 7 will not be a part of the preliminary election, but will see candidates back on the ballot for the municipal election on Nov. 4. Those wards will still be able to vote for the mayoral and at-large City Council races on the preliminary ballot.
A four-way mayoral race will also be voted on in the preliminary as incumbent Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra will be challenged by Daniel Breindel, Dave Dombrowski and Jillian Marie Duclos.
Sample ballots for the upcoming city preliminary are available at Northamptonma.gov/2556/Upcoming-Elections.
The voter registration deadline for the preliminary is Sept. 6, while the vote by mail application deadline will be on Sept. 11.
Polling hours will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information on the preliminary election or where to find your polling location, visit the city’s website.
For the Nov. 4 municipal election, ballots will include these races, making a total of seven ward and two at-large City Council seats available this fall. Also to be voted on in November, there will be seven ward and two at-large School Committee seats, four seats for the trustees under the Will of Charles E. Forbes, three seats for the trustees of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, and one elector under the Oliver Smith Will.
