AMHERST — Less than two weeks before candidates have to file nomination papers to run for elective office in Amherst, the field for the Nov. 4 town election remains unsettled.
With three candidates for Town Council holding nomination papers for both at-large and district positions on the 13-member council — and two of those candidates also pulling papers to run for School Committee — the ballot could feature several contested elections, or none, depending on decisions that are made by the filing deadline of Sept. 16 at 5 p.m.
For the three at-large, townwide council positions, only Mandi Jo Hanneke, who has served in that role since the inaugural council was seated in December 2018, has filed forms with 50 resident signatures, whie four others have pulled papers. They are Amber Cano-Martin of Grantwood Drive and Allegra Clark of Cherry Lane, who both ran for District 2 seats in 2023, Dillon Maxfield of North Pleasant Street, who ran for a District 4 seat in 2023, and Andy Churchill, the former chairman of the town’s Charter Commission.
The other incumbents are At Large Councilor Andy Steinberg, who announced he would be stepping off the panel, and At Large Councilor Ellisha Walker.
Both Churchill and Maxfield have organized campaign committees.
In District 1, Jillian Brevik of Market Hill Road and Louis Conover of Pulpit Hill Road have filed their forms with 25 signatures, while incumbent Ndifreke Ette and Vincent O’Connor of Summer Street have pulled papers. District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen announced she would not be seeking reelection. Also, Brevik has withdrawn from consideration for an at-large position.
In District 2, Council President Lynn Griesemer filed nomination forms with 25 signatures, and withdrew from consideration for an at large position, while Jason Dorney of Hickory Lane and Cano-Martin and Clark are the others who pulled papers. District 2 Councilor Pat De Angelis announced she would not be seeking reelection.
In District 3, incumbents Heather Hala Lord and George Ryan have filed their papers, while Patrick Drumm of West Pomeroy Lane, who ran in the district two years ago, has also gotten papers.
In District 4, incumbent Pamela Rooney and Maxfield have filed papers, while incumbent Jennifer Taub has obtained papers.
As it stands, only District 5 wouldn’t have a contested election. Samuel MacLeod of South East Street has filed papers, while incumbent Ana Devlin Gauthier has gotten papers. The other incumbent, Bob Hegner, announced he wouldn’t be running again.
There could also be a race for the five seats on the School Committee, all of which are elected townwide.
Only incumbent Sarah Marshall has returned papers, with fellow incumbents Bridget Hynes and Deborah Leonard also pulling papers. They are joined by Meaghan Fitzgerald, of Sunset Avenue, and Laura Jane Hunter, of Blackberry Lane, getting papers, as well as Cano-Martin and Clark. Incumbents Jennifer Shiao and Irv Rhodes have not pulled papers.
All six incumbent members of the Jones Library trustees appear to be running, with no challengers yet stepping forward. Farah Ameen, Lee Edwards, Tamson Ely, Eugene Goffredo, Nat Larson, Austin Sarat all have pulled papers, with Ameen, Ely and Sarat returning them.
The Housing Authority candidates so far are incumbent Michael Burkart and De Angelis, while Judith Souweine is the lone candidate for Elector under the Oliver Smith Will.