Pittsfield Sets Early Voting Dates

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and voters must register by Oct. 24 if they want to participate. 

Massachusetts voters will determine the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, governor's council, state senator, state representative, district attorney, and register of probate. 

Nine state election ballot questions will also be on the ballot, including questions on recreational cannabis and gun laws. 

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.  A primary election in September narrowed the races. 

Residents can also vote by absentee ballot, which are currently available for those who will be away from Pittsfield during polling hours, have a physical disability preventing them from going to the polls, and for religious beliefs. Absentee ballots are due by noon on Nov. 2, and can be mailed in or cast in person.  

Saturday, Oct. 24, is the deadline to register to vote or to make changes to voter registration. City Hall, located at 70 Allen St., will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on this day. 

Vote by mail applications are also available and can be requested until Tuesday, Oct. 27, by 5 p.m. There is also early voting in the Registrar of Voters' Office. 

Democrats Maura Healey is running for re-election as governor and Kim Driscoll for re-election as lieutenant governor. Michael Minogue is the gubernatorial candidate for the Republican Party, and Shawn Oliver its lieutenant governor candidate. 


Andrea Campbell is running for re-election as attorney general, and is being challenged by Republican Michael Walsh. 

Incumbent Democrat Edward Markey is being challenged by Republican John Deaton for the U.S. Senate seat. Incumbent Richard Neal is being challenged by Nadia Milleron, who is unenrolled, for the U.S. House Massachusetts District 1 seat. 

Berkshire County Democrats are unopposed for re-election: Paul Mark for state senator, John Barrett III for state representative of the Second Berkshire District, Tricia Farley-Bouvier for state representative of the Second Berkshire District, and Leigh Davis for state representative of the Third Berkshire District. 

Voter registration, absentee ballot applications, and vote by mail applications are available from the Registrar of Voters' Office in City Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Polling locations can be found on iBerkshires.com. 

Early voting for the election will take place at Pittsfield City Hall at the Registrar of Voters' Office (Room 101) on the following dates:

  • Saturday, Oct.17:       8 to noon
  • Sunday, Oct. 18:         8 to noon
  • Monday, Oct. 19:        8:30 to 4
  • Tuesday, Oct. 20:       8:30 to 4     
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21:  8:30 to 4
  • Thursday, Oct. 22:      8:30 to 4
  • Friday, Oct. 23:           8:30 to 4
  • Satuday,  Oct. 24:       9 to 5
  • Sunday, Oct. 25:         8 to noon
  • Monday, Oct. 26:        8:30 to 4
  • Tuesday, Oct. 27:       8:30 to 4
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28:  8:30 to 4
  • Thursday, Oct. 29:     8:30 to 4
  • Friday, Oct. 30:          8:30 to 4

 

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Tags: election 2026,   

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Pittsfield Considers Changes to Committee Clerks, Including Pay

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires.com

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Do you have the experience and will to clerk city meetings? 

The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee last M supported code changes that reduce the number of meeting clerks by one and increase pay. Two clerks of committees would be paid $5,000 per year for multiple monthly meetings. 

"I think reorganization of this is good. I do worry a little bit that sometimes five committees is a lot, but I think I’m going to vote for this," member Kathy Amuso said.

"I think we kind of left out some of our clerks with the pay raises, and so this was on my radar for next budget season, so I think doing something earlier is better." 

The subcommittee unanimously supported Council President Earl Persip III's petition to amend Chapter 16, Human Resources, and Article 6, Clerk of Committees. The aim is to have more consistency.

Clerks are currently paid around $2,800 annually for administrative and organizational support to City Council committees. This includes preparing the meeting agendas, handling documents, ensuring they are posted properly to meet Open Meeting Law, mailing hearing notifications, and taking minutes. 

With these changes: 

  • Clerks would be appointed by the City Council biannually, rather than annually. 
     
  • One clerk is responsible for committees on ordinances and rules, public services and utilities, public buildings and maintenance, and community and economic development. 
     
  • The second clerk is responsible for committees on public health and safety, the audit, Committee of the Whole (including budget hearings), traffic, finance, and ad hoc committees. 

The current code, Section 2-26, has three clerks splitting the committees, appointed yearly in January. 

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