Due to a large number of candidates for Mayor and Councillor-at-Large, there will most likely be a Sept. 1 preliminary election. Candidates for office had to have their nomination papers turned in and certified by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
According to the Election Department, which certified signatures for all but one candidate for Councillor-at-Large, there are three candidates for mayor, including incumbent Daniel Rizzo, current City Councillor Brian Arrigo, and Winthrop Avenue resident Cheryl Whittredge.
According to the city’s charter a preliminary election is held when there are “double the number of candidates plus one.†The results of the preliminary election would eliminate one candidate for mayor and three candidates for Councillor-at-Large.
In the Councillor at Large race there are 12 candidates, including incumbents Jessica Giannino, Robert Haas Jr., Steven Morabito and Anthony Zambuto. Challengers include Matthew Amato, John Correggio, Michael Falzone,  Edward O’Hara, Catherine Belinfante Penn, George Rotondo, Priscilla Nickerson and Francis Sarro.
The city’s charter also allows for the cancellation of the preliminary election. It is the city council that would call for the cancellation. The preliminary election was called off in 2011 and 2009.
In the ward races, incumbent Joanne McKenna of Ward 1 faces no challenger. In Ward 2 incumbent Ira Novoselsky is running unopposed. Ward 3 incumbent Arthur Guinasso has no challenger. In Ward 4 there will be a race between incumbent Stephen Reardon and challenger Patrick Keefe. Ward 5 Councillor and president John Powers has no challenger and Charles Patch Sr. is also unopposed.
In the School Committee race incumbents Michael Ferrante, Susan Gravellese, Dan Maguire, Donna Wood Pruitt, Stacey Rizzo and Carol Tye face-off with challengers Ricky Freni, Frederick Sannella, Albert Terminiello and Gerry Visconti.
Sue Ellen Woodcock can be reached at [email protected]