NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The race for mayor is now up to six, although only two candidates have so far returned the required signatures. 

 

Peter J. Oleskiewicz of Massachusetts Avenue pulled papers on Wednesday, joining Thomas W. Bernard, Ronald A. Boucher, Rachel I. Branch, Robert R. Moulton Jr., and Robert M. Martelle. Bernard and Branch are the only candidates to have returned signatures and have them verified. 

 

One more candidate will have to return nomination papers for a preliminary election to take place. 

 

The deadline for all candidates to get 50 signatures to be on the ballot is Monday at 5 p.m. City Clerk Marilyn Gomeau said her office will be open to 5 p.m. on Monday but cautioned that if candidates do not submit enough signatures that can be verified, they will not be on the ballot. 

 

One more person has also taken out papers for School Committee. Raya E. Kirby of Central Avenue took out papers on Thursday to run for the three open seats on the committee. Also running are incumbent Heather Putnam Boulger, James C. Holmes and Ian D. Bergeron, all of whom have submitted their signatures, and Peter E. Breen. 

 

The number of candidates for the nine open City Council seats is now up to 19. Should all 19 return papers, there will be a preliminary election to narrow the field. 

 

However, only 13 have so far submitted signatures, with 11 of those being certified for the ballot as of Friday. A couple of the others have indicated they may decide not to run. That total of 19 does not include either Jessica Cramer or Lisa Blackmer, both of whom have withdrawn. 

 

Incumbents returning papers are Eric Buddington, Joshua J. Moran, Benjamin J. Lamb, Keith J. Bona and Wayne Wilkinson, who was recently appointed to fill a vacant seat. 

 

Newcomers returning papers so far are Rebbecca A. Cohen, H. Merle Knight, Bryan A. Sapienza, Roger J. Eurbin, Paul J. Hopkins, Ashley Marie Shade, Marie T. Harpin, and Jason LaForest. 

 

Scott Orr of Kately Lane and Clarise R. Vanderburgh of Freeman Avenue took out papers this week; they and Edward Lacosse, Keifer Gammell, William J. Caprari and Ronald K. Sheldon have not yet returned signatures. 

 

Also up for election are Gary F. Rivers and Paul Gigliotti for two seats on the McCann School Committee; no one has taken out papers to challenge the incumbents.