EAST LONGMEADOW – As of April 25, a total of 43 residents have taken out nomination papers to run for the seven-member at-large Town Council. The deadline for returning nomination papers is 5 p.m. on May 9.

Town Clerk Thomas Florence told Reminder Publications he’s never seen such a contested race during the past 13 years as clerk. Prior to this race, the second most contested race he’s witnessed was during the March 15 preliminary election, in which six candidates vied for one seat on the Board of Selectmen.

He added people have been stopping by his office on an almost daily basis to take out nomination papers following the April 12 Town Election in which the new council-manager form of government passed.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he noted.

He added there would not be a preliminary election for council candidates under the new charter. A total of 50 resident signatures are required in order for candidates to be placed on the June 7 Town Council Election ballot.

“Is everybody going to return their papers?” Florence asked. “I don’t think so, just by the sheer number … It’s tough to estimate exactly how many may return them, but I definitely don’t expect the same number of people who have taken out nomination papers to return them.”

He said he believes the June 7 Election will be an historic vote and estimated a voter turnout of at least 30 percent.

“It’s good to see the involvement,” he added. “The people have seen what’s happened. They’re taking a vested interest in their town and if it’s taking papers out wanting to make a difference, it’s good to see that involvement with our new form of government.”

The list of residents who have taken out nomination papers includes Anthony Gentile Jr., Thomas Morrissette, Planning Board member George Kingston, Jean Delaney, Selectman Kevin Manley, William Arment, V. Van Johnson III, Allen Loughman, Anthony Dieni, Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Federici, Louis Morabito, Kellie Marie Degnan, School Committee member Gregory Thompson, Donald Anderson, Thomas O’Connor, Patricia Ahern, Brian Falk, Larry Levine, JoAnn O’Brien, Appropriations Committee Chair Eric Madison, Isabella Kacoyannakis, Michael Kane, William Jacques, Susan Grimaldi, Kathleen Hill, Joseph Ford, Sheila Dupre, Jefferson Petrie, Robert Fitzpatrick, Joseph Croteau, Lawrence Rinaldi, Keriann Flynn, Catherine Yurkunas, Ronald Cutler, Christina Diane Allen, Stephen Plifka, Russell Joseph Sabadosa, Kevin Quartulli, Alan Brown, Carleen Eve Fischer Hoffman, Jeffrey Bosworth, Board of Library Trustees Chair Arthur McGuire, and Erica McNamara.

According to the charter, the top seven vote getters would be elected to the council. The top three vote getters would serve three-year terms. Candidates who rank in fourth and fifth place would serve two-year terms and candidates who come in sixth and seventh place would serve one-year terms.

The Council on Aging (COA) in partnership with East Longmeadow Community Access Television is also planning a Town Council candidates’ night for May 19 at 5:30 p.m. at East Longmeadow High School.

COA Director Carolyn Brennan said presenting an opportunity for the community to get to know the candidates is going to be a “real challenge” in light of the high number of people who have taken nomination papers.

“It doesn’t mean everyone’s going to return papers, but we’re going to definitely have I think over 25 serious candidates,” she noted.

The May 19 candidates’ night would start with a meet and greet in the cafeteria followed by a question and answer session in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m.

“We’re going to generate as many questions as possible through the public,” she noted. “All of these candidates will get these questions ahead of time by lottery [Town Moderator Russell Denver] will ask one question to one candidate.”

She added each candidate would be given two minutes to respond to a question posed by the moderator.

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