PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mark Miller, Green-Rainbow candidate for the 3rd Berkshire District, has filed his nomination papers with the state Elections Office in Springfield.

This is Miller's second bid for the House seat; he lost last fall to incumbent Christopher N. Speranzo, who has since quit to become clerk-magistrate of the Central Berkshire District Court.

A left, Miller, former editor of The Berkshire Eagle, signs his paperwork in Springfield in this submitted photo.

Tricia Farley-Bouvier joins Mark Miller, Peter White and Pam Malumphy in the upcoming race for state representative.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Tricia Farley-Bouvier announced her candidacy for state representative on Monday by turning in her nomination papers at City Hall and resigning from her city post.

Bouvier, recently named the city's director of administration, joins Mark Miller, Peter White and Pam Malumphy in the 3rd Berkshire District race. White also turned in his papers today.

Bouvier, a city native and former city councilor, said she will focus her campaign on "bridging the communication gap between Pittsfield and Beacon Hill, enhance workforce development, improve K-16 education and strong public safety."

She boasts years of being educator — in classroom and in administration — working with a wide variety of students. She then became the public affairs coordinator for current Mayor James Ruberto and promoted to director of administration.

"My breadth of experience has prepared me well to represent Pittsfield," Bouvier said in an press release Monday.  "I would like to be the voice of Pittsfield families on Beacon Hill.  I will advocating for and partnering with community agencies, public safety officials and municipal government that serve our families and seniors."

Malumphy, also a former city councilor, became the first candidate to turn in her nomination paperwork on Thursday — hand delivering the voters' signatures to the secretary of state's Springfield office.

"Getting on the ballot is always the first hurdle of a campaign and I was really proud to get people’s support in gathering signatures and having them certified by the city and then the state," Malumphy said in an email.

Malumphy's background includes teaching, marketing, business development and fundraising. Recently she was the regional director of the state Office of Business Development.

In 2009, Malumphy made a bid for mayor but didn't make it past the preliminary election. She will be running as an independent.

"I became unenrolled over two years ago.  Although I still vote heavily Democratic, I like having the option of looking at individual candidates, where they stand on issues, and their message," she said.

Both Bouvier and Malumphy came to prominence in 2003, winning at-large seats on the City Council as candidates endorsed by local political action group WHEN (Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods).

The election will be held on Oct. 18 and candidates must have returned nomination papers by Aug. 9. The special election is to fill the seat of Rep. Christopher Speranzo who was appointed to be the clerk-magistrate  at Central Berkshire District Court.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — State Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland, who recently announced a run for U.S. Senate next year, will be at Freight Yard Pub on Sunday from 6:30 to 7:30 to speak with area citizens.

Wayland, a three-term Democrat representative, has been "walking" across the state to meet with people and discuss their concerns. He is a former  risk management consultant.

He is the fourth Democrat so far to eye a match up with Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who won a special election to complete the term of the late Ted Kennedy. Also planning runs are Newton Mayor Setti Warren; Alan Khazei, who came in third in the Democratic primary for the seat in 2009; environmentalist Robert Massie; and Salem immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco.
 

The field is wide open in Pittsfield with Mayor James Ruberto's announcement this morning that he will not run for a fifth term.

Ruberto had said earlier that he'd make a decision this month. Oddly enough, we were able to pick up WBRK this morning out in North Adams' West End to hear host Bill Sturgeon predict that Ruberto would make his decision known through "his favorite mouthpiece" The Berkshire Eagle.

Sure enough, a couple hours later The Eagle posted the news that the mayor was retiring on his laurels after eight years in office. It doesn't match John Barrett III's 26 years, but eight is considered pretty good for Pittsfield.

Ruberto, first elected in 2003, told The Eagle that he wanted time "to heal" from the death of his wife, Ellen, and that he felt that citizens could see government working for them.

During his tenure, Ruberto has touted the revitalization of North Street and put his political wieght behind such controversial projects as the $23 million Beacon Cinema. He's strongly supported the city's creative economy, hoping to rejuvenate the former mill city into a destination.

He established an Office of Cultural Development and hired Megan Whilden to lead it. Since then, the city has spearheaded and coordinated music and street festivals, attracted the buzz-making Barrington Stage Company and, in 2009, won a Commonwealth Award as a Creative Community. It also straightened out the vexing North/South street intersection and streamlined permitting to encourage investment.

It hasn't been all hearts and roses: Pittsfield's been struggling with drug crimes, the landmark Colonial Theatre could be foundering and PEDA's main tenant is a solar array.

Two years ago, Ruberto announced his run for a fourth term on "Good Morning Pittsfield." Some thought he'd step aside then because of his wife's illness. But Ellen, who died on July 22, 2009, encouraged Ruberto to run.

It would be Ruberto's toughest race since his loss to Sara Hathaway in his first try for the office in 2001.

Ten candidates for the city's top spot were winnowed down to Ruberto and Daniel E. Bianchi after a preliminary election. The Ruberto-Bianchi duel would be bitter and heated and end in a recount, with Ruberto squeaking out a 207-vote victory.

Bianchi has indicated he might be interested in another try at mayor; Ward Councilor 7 Joseph Nichols has already announced he is running.

1st District Cariddi

Sheriff Tom Bowler

2nd District
Mark	Case	Racz

3rd District
Miller	Speranzo

4th District
Pignatelli	Laugenour

1st Mass
Olver	Gunn	Engel

1st Berkshire District

Gailanne Cariddi  (D) North Adams

2nd Berkshire District

Michael Case (R) Washington

Paul Mark (D) Hancock

Stefan G. Racz (I) Buckland

3rd Berkshire District

Christopher Speranzo (D) Pittsfield

Mark C. Miller (Green/Rainbow) Pittsfield

4th Berkshire District
William "Smitty" Pignatelli (D)

Lee Scott Laugenour(Green/Rainbow)

Berkshire Sheriff

Tom  Bowler  (D)

1st Congressional District

Bill Gunn (R)

John Olver (D)

Michael Engel (I)

Attorney General

Martha Coakley (D)

Jim McKenna (R)

Governor

Charles Baker (R)

Tim Cahill (I)

Deval Patrick (D)

Jill Stein (Green/Rainbow)

Auditor

Suzanne Bump (D)

Mary Connaughton (R)

Nat Fortune (Green/Rainbow)