PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It is still early but interest in the municipal election is slowly building.

 

Only incumbent Mayor Linda Tyer has announced a campaign for re-election so far but three others have taken out nomination papers, indicating a possible challenge. Former Pittsfield Police Officer Karen Kalinwosky, Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves, and resident Craig Gaetani have also pulled papers.

 

Graves and Gaetani could also be considering other seats as well. Graves also took out papers for city clerk, potentially challenging incumbent Michele Benjamin who is running for re-election. Gaetani also drew papers for two council seats, an at-large seat and Ward 6. An individual can only run for one seat in the election.

 

On the City Council, most of the incumbents have taken out nomination papers. The only incumbents who haven't take out papers is Ward 6 Councilor John Krol and Anthony Simonelli, both of whom have said they would not be seeking re-election, and Melissa Mazzeo, who has been long rumored as a potential mayoral candidate but has not declared her intentions. 

 

Helen Moon, Kevin Morandi, Nicholas Caccamo, Chris Connell, and Donna Todd Rivers have all taken out papers for their respective wards and, as of yet, no potential challenges have taken out papers. 

 

In Ward 6, Edward Carmel, who ran for an at-large seat last election, and former Councilor Joseph Nichols took out papers. In Ward 7, Jeffrey Ferrin, a former mayoral candidate, took out papers.

 

Only three people have taken out papers for a potential run for the School Committee, those being incumbents William Cameron, Joshua Cutler, and Daniel Elias.

 

It is still very early in the election season and any actual candidates are far from being known but the interest so far shows that there could be some potential races coming ahead.