WESTFIELD — Following the deadline to turn in signatures for certification, the landscape for the municipal election on Nov. 4 has changed.
The School Committee now has three candidates running for three four-year seats, after incumbents Timothy O’Connor and Heather Sullivan did not complete the nomination process. O’Connor did not sign out papers, and Sullivan did not return them for certification by the June 29 deadline, nor did challenger Christopher O’Brien, who had recently taken out nomination papers.
The three certified candidates for School Committee who wlll be on the ballot in the Municipal Election are incumbent Kathleen Hillman, former School Committee member Jeffrey Gosselin, chair of the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities, and newcomer Richard “Kick” Sullivan III who chairs the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Mayor Michael McCabe will be challenged by Andrew Mullen, who turned in his papers to be certified last week. Mullen previously ran in the 2019 preliminary election for mayor against Donald Humason Jr. and McCabe.
This year, there will be no preliminary election in September, as none of the elected offices have more than twice the number of candidates running than seats available.
Also changed slightly is the race for City Council. There are now 11 candidates running for seven seats for at-large councilors. All of the seven incumbents including Dan Allie, James Adams, Brent Bean II, Cindy Harris, Kristen Mello, Nicholas Morganelli Jr. and Richard Sullivan Jr. have had their nominations certified and will be on the ballot.
Challengers on the ballot for at-large councilor will be John Bowen, who serves on the Planning Board, former mayor and city councilor Daniel Knapik, financial manager Christopher McCrary, who previously ran for School Committee and Westfield High School football coach Robert Parent, who previously ran for at-large councilor.
Challenger Jessica Britton did not return her papers to be certified for at-large councilor. She was certified to run in the Ward 2 race and will challenge incumbent Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy on the ballot.
Running unchallenged as ward councilors are Karen Fanion in Ward 1, Bridget Matthews-Kane in Ward 3, Michael Burns in Ward 4, John Beltrandi III in Ward 5 and William Onyski in Ward 6.
Municipal Light Board candidates on the ballot will be newcomer Thomas Fanion for Ward 1, incumbents Ray Rivera in Ward 2, Dawn Renaudette in Ward 3, William Parks in Ward 4 and Robert Goyette, Jr. in Ward 5. Incumbent Robert Sacco in Ward 6 will run against challenger Jason Bean in the only contest for MLB.
There will be one six-year term for Athenaeum trustee on the ballot for which incumbent Kathleen Knapik is unchallenged.
The deadline for voter registration for the Nov. 4 General Election is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25 in person at the City Clerk’s office or until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 25 online at registertovotema.com
The general election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at various polling sites around the city.
For more information on the General Election or on how to register to vote, go to cityofwestfield.org/vote.
