NORTHAMPTON — Interested in running for mayor?
Mayor David Narkewicz announced Tuesday that he would not seek reelection in the fall. This year will mark the tenth year Narkewicz has served as mayor.
The city election will be held in early November and is typically the first Tuesday of the month.
Nomination papers from the city clerk’s office will not be available before April under the city charter, City Clerk Pam Powers said. A candidate needs 150 signatures from people of any political party to get on the ballot for the position of mayor.
“They have to be registered Northampton voters,” Powers said.
Specific dates of when nomination papers will be available and when they will be due have not yet been finalized, Powers said. There also could be a preliminary election in September depending on the number of candidates running for elected office.
“If there are more than two candidates that are interested in the position of mayor, let’s say, then we will have the preliminary election. I think it’s likely that there will be more than two people,” Powers said.
Powers said a preliminary election would likely be held on Sept. 28 if necessary. The election in November will include the four-year position of mayor as well as two-year seats on the School Committee and City Council, among other offices.
Narkewicz, 54, was first elected to a two-year term as mayor in November 2011. He was reelected to four-year terms in 2013 and 2017 after the city extended the term of mayor from two to four years.
On Tuesday, Narkewicz said he was announcing his decision to not seek reelection early “to allow other city residents the opportunity to consider running and form campaigns.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.