NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two more have potentially joined the City Council race and now 19 will vie for the nine seats.

 

As of Thursday afternoon sitting City Councilor Paul J. Hopkins also took out papers along with former councilor and former mayoral candidate Robert J. Moultan, Jr.

 

Hopkins was elected in 2017 and is finishing his first term. He previously indicated that he did not plan to run but has apparently had a change in heart. Moulton left his seat on the council in 2017 when he ran for mayor but was defeated by Thomas Bernard.

 

Both candidates have yet to return papers to be certified on the ballot. 

 

The two join the five sitting councilors Keith Bona, Marie T. Harpin, Jason Laforest, Benjamin Lamb and Wayne Wilkinson who are all seeking re-election.

 

Eric Buddington, Rebbecca Cohen, and Joshua Moran have indicated they would not seek re election.

 

Lisa Blackmer, who served on the council for a decade, is seeking to return after a two-year absence. Also taking out papers are Ronald K. Sheldon, Bryan K. Sapienza, Jonathan Schnauber, Cameron Lapine, Roger J. Eurbin, Robert Cardimino, Peter J. Oleskiewicz, Jessica Sweeney, Ashley M. Shade, Michael I. Obasohan, and Trupthi Mehta.

 

Sapienza, Cardimino and Shade previously ran for office but were not able to garner the votes to get one of the nine at-large seats. The others are largely newcomers to city politics, although Oleskiewicz had tried for mayor and Eurbin a last-minute council run in the past.

 

Out of the 19 candidates ten have returned papers. Nine have been certified.

 

On the mayoral front nothing has changed from the last report and incumbent Thomas Bernard will be challenged by Rachel Branch and Richard David Greene.

 

Only Bernard and Branch have returned papers. Both have been certified. 

 

Should all three get enough signatures certified, then a preliminary election will have to be held. That also could occur for City Council, which is now two potential candidates away from a preliminary to narrow the field.

 

Moultan also has taken out papers to join the School Committee race. 

 

He joins Tara Jacobs, who is running for a third term, and David Sookey III and Emily Daunis. Incumbents Karen Bond and Nicholas Fahey have not so far taken out papers.

 

Peter E. Breen and Shannon M. Santelli have joined the McCann School Committee race for the North Adams representative. They will face incumbents George Canales and William R. Diamond.