Bouvier, Malumphy Return Papers For State House Bids

Tricia Farley-Bouvier joins Mark Miller, Peter White and Pam Malumphy in the upcoming race for state representative.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Tricia Farley-Bouvier announced her candidacy for state representative on Monday by turning in her nomination papers at City Hall and resigning from her city post.

Bouvier, recently named the city's director of administration, joins Mark Miller, Peter White and Pam Malumphy in the 3rd Berkshire District race. White also turned in his papers today.

Bouvier, a city native and former city councilor, said she will focus her campaign on "bridging the communication gap between Pittsfield and Beacon Hill, enhance workforce development, improve K-16 education and strong public safety."

She boasts years of being educator — in classroom and in administration — working with a wide variety of students. She then became the public affairs coordinator for current Mayor James Ruberto and promoted to director of administration.

"My breadth of experience has prepared me well to represent Pittsfield," Bouvier said in an press release Monday.  "I would like to be the voice of Pittsfield families on Beacon Hill.  I will advocating for and partnering with community agencies, public safety officials and municipal government that serve our families and seniors."

Malumphy, also a former city councilor, became the first candidate to turn in her nomination paperwork on Thursday — hand delivering the voters' signatures to the secretary of state's Springfield office.

"Getting on the ballot is always the first hurdle of a campaign and I was really proud to get people’s support in gathering signatures and having them certified by the city and then the state," Malumphy said in an email.

Malumphy's background includes teaching, marketing, business development and fundraising. Recently she was the regional director of the state Office of Business Development.

In 2009, Malumphy made a bid for mayor but didn't make it past the preliminary election. She will be running as an independent.

"I became unenrolled over two years ago.  Although I still vote heavily Democratic, I like having the option of looking at individual candidates, where they stand on issues, and their message," she said.

Both Bouvier and Malumphy came to prominence in 2003, winning at-large seats on the City Council as candidates endorsed by local political action group WHEN (Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods).

The election will be held on Oct. 18 and candidates must have returned nomination papers by Aug. 9. The special election is to fill the seat of Rep. Christopher Speranzo who was appointed to be the clerk-magistrate  at Central Berkshire District Court.