With the Friday deadline for candidates to hand in their signatures now passed, the field of local candidates has diminished a bit, but the six Republican candidates who signed up to run for Town Council are still in, which means there will be a local primary Sept. 9.

The GOP candidates are, in alphabetical order: Bob Bolton (unendorsed), Sue Cienki (endorsed), Gene Dumas (endorsed), Edward Field (endorsed), Michael Isaacs (endorsed), and Sean Todd (endorsed).

In addition, two Democrats will be on the general election ballot for Town Council – Mark Schwager and Bill Stone – as well as one independent, Robert Vespia. A third Democrat, Richard Weiner, did not turn in the required 50 signatures to gain a place on the ballot.

Isaacs is the only candidate running for re-election; all five seats are open.

For School Committee, eight candidates will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. Of the five independents who declared a run for the panel, four returned 50 or more signatures: Michael Fain, Kristin Lehoullier, Jack Sommer and Yan Sun. Dominic Marcone did not return signatures. David Osbourne is the lone Democrat running for the committee. Of the four Republicans who declared a run, David Green, Christine Meyer and Mary Ellen Winters are the three who earned places on the ballot; Paul Martin, who did not return enough signatures, is out of the running.

Winters is running for her third term and Green and Sommer are running for their second terms; four seats out of the seven total are open.

Republican Chuck Newton is the only candidate running for Town Moderator.

For the Sept. 9 primary, because there is a local primary, all five polling locations will be open (otherwise, only two would be open). Registration deadline for the primary is Aug. 10. Because the date falls on a Sunday, the town will have registration forms available at the police station and the dispatcher will accept registrations from 1 to 4 p.m. only. Also, if you are voting by mail ballot, you must request one by Aug. 19.

If you have any questions, contact the Board of Canvassers at (401) 886-8603.