WESTFIELD – Local election season has begun.
Candidates began taking out nomination papers April 5 ,and as of April 14, seven incumbent councilors have taken papers for Westfield City Council seats and two people have taken papers for the mayor’s race.
Incumbent Mayor Donald F. Humason Jr. and retired police captain Michael A. McCabe have both taken out papers for mayor.
City Councilors at-large Brent B. Bean II, Cindy C. Harris, Dave Flaherty and Kristen L. Mello have taken papers seeking re-election, Bridget Matthews-Kane has taken papers for re-election to the Ward 3 seat, Michael Burns has taken papers to retain his seat as the Ward 4 councilor and Councilor William Onyski took out papers for his Ward 6 seat.
No one has taken papers yet for the wards one, two or five.
No one has taken out papers for the four-year Westfield School Committee seat or the Municipal Light Board (MLB) Ward one, four or six seats. Ray Rivera took papers for the MLB Ward 2 seat, Dawn Renaudette has taken papers for the MLB Ward 3 seat and Joseph B. Mitchell took out papers for Ward 5 MLB.
Candidates can take out papers in City Clerk Karen Fanion’s office through July 30 at 5 p.m. Papers must be returned by 5 p.m. Aug. 3. The last day for objections or withdrawals is Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. and drawing for ballot positions is Aug. 23.
The preliminary election is Sept. 1 from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., with the general election slated for Nov. 2 from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Candidates must be a Westfield resident and obtain 50 signatures of registered voters to run for office.
