Pittsfield Holds Preliminary Election Tuesday
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Voters will trim the mayoral, Ward 2 and Ward 7 races with a preliminary election today, Tuesday.
Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. for all wards and precincts. Find your polling station here.
Each of the three contested positions will be narrowed down to two candidates in preparation for the general election on Nov. 7.
Peter Marchetti, Karen Kalinowsky and John Krol are running to replace Mayor Linda Tyer, who is not seeking re-election.
Marchetti and Kalinowsky both hold at-large seats on the City Council; Marchetti is the current president. Krol formerly represented Ward 6 on the council.
Marchetti has served the city in various capacities for nearly three decades and is proud of the 16 years that he has spent on the council under three different mayors. He also served as the vice chair of the city's charter commission under former Mayor Daniel Bianchi.
He has said a vote for him is a vote for "leadership you can trust, experience you can count on, and dedication that's already been proven."
Krol touts his 10 years on the council and work for former Mayor James Ruberto. He said people are clamoring for new leadership that will elevate this community.
He wants to create a more reasonable tax policy, make the city more business-friendly, revitalize the downtown, enhance public services, and make Pittsfield Public Schools the schools of choice in the county. He said people are clamoring for new leadership that will elevate this community and he would make "the mayor's office the most accessible mayor's office in the history of Pittsfield.'
Kalinowsky has lived in the city her whole life and served on its police force for more than 30 years. She said she made the decision to run for mayor out of her love for Pittsfield and that the corner office could use a new perspective. She has vowed a more pragmatic and fiscally responsible administration.
"What has been going on is not working and I think it needs fresh people here running the city," she said.
This is the second mayoral bid for both Marchetti and Kalinowsky.
In Ward 2, Soncere Williams, Alexander Blumin, and Brittany Bandani are vying for the seat. Current Councilor Charles Kronick is not seeking re-election.
And in Ward 7, incumbent Anthony Maffuccio is being challenged by Jonathan Morey and Rhonda Serre.
The other races did not meet the criteria for a preliminary.
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Tags: election 2023, preliminary election,
