NORTHAMPTON – Ryan O’Donnell promised to carry out the duties of his office Thursday afternoon at City Hall as he was sworn in as an at-large city councilor.
“The idea of serving all the people of Northampton is something I’m excited about,” O’Donnell, the former Ward 3 councilor, said afterward.
O’Donnell was elected Aug. 4 in a special election, but City Clerk Wendy Mazza waited until Thursday to certify the results so that the special election to fill the vacated Ward 3 seat could coincide with Election Day, Nov. 8. Special elections have to occur within 90 days of a vacancy, as per the city’s charter.
The special election for the at-large seat – the Aug. 4 election and the July 7 preliminary – cost a total of about $40,000. The Nov. 8 special election will only cost about $2,000, Mazza said, because it comes at the same time as other elections.
Nomination papers for the Ward 3 seat will be available Monday. Those interested in running will have until Aug. 25 to collect 50 signatures from Ward 3 residents and get them to the registrar.
If more than two people are nominated, there will be a preliminary election Oct. 13.