Pittsfield's Preliminary Ballot Positions Drawn for Mayor, Two Wards
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Preliminary election ballot positions were drawn on Thursday for the mayoral race and two wards.
"We just want to welcome and congratulate all of you on your nomination for elected office," Assistant Clerk Heather Brazeau said to a small audience in council chambers.
The city will hold a preliminary election on Sept. 19 to trim the candidate fields for mayor, Ward 2 and Ward 7 to two candidates each.
Peter Marchetti and Karen Kalinowsky, both incumbent councilors, and John Krol, a former councilor, are running to replace Mayor Linda Tyer. Krol and Kalinowsky were in attendance to pull their names out of the city's tumbler.
Kalinowsky will appear first on the ballot followed by Marchetti in the second position and Krol in the third.
Soncere Williams, Alexander Blumin and Brittany Bandani are vying for the Ward 2 seat. Current Councilor Charles Kronick is not seeking re-election.
Blumin and a representative for Bandani attended the drawing. Blumin pulled the third position on the ballot and Bandani will be in the first position followed by Williams in the second.
Ballot positions were drawn by city staff for Ward 7, as none of the candidates were in attendance.
Incumbent Anthony Maffuccio was pulled for the first position, Jonathan Morey in the second position, and Rhonda Serre in the third.
The other races did not meet the criteria for a preliminary, including the remaining wards and School Committee.
Brazeau, Assistant Clerk of Registrations and Elections Ashley Gangell and Registrar of Voters Clerk Joshua Munn prepared small cards with the candidates' names and addresses on their voter registrations. Before being drawn, the names are sealed in a small envelope and dropped into the tumbler.
If a candidate or a representative is not there, the names are dropped in by city staff. Once all of the names are in, one card is drawn at a time and the names are announced accordingly.
The last day to register to vote for the preliminary election is Sept. 9.
Tags: election 2023, municipal election, preliminary election,
