Dumas, Kirby Qualify for Ballot

Attleboro's fall election has its third and fourth official candidates. Mayor Kevin Dumas and at-large City Councilor Brian Kirby qualified for the ballot this week after submitting candidate papers to City Hall  along with the required number of signatures from Attleboro voters. They are both seeking a sixth consecutive two-year term and were first elected in November 2003. 

Dumas is the first candidate to qualify for the mayoral election. He could have a familiar opponent in Ronald Churchill. The former fire chief, who unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Dumas in 2011, pulled papers this month for the mayoral and at-large council contests.

Churchill has declined to speak to the media. Dumas released a statement April 17.

"I look forward to this election season and having the opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of my administration as well as my vision for the continued success of Attleboro," Dumas wrote.

Kirby is the second candidate to qualify for the at-large council election. Attleboro Farmers Market manager Heather Porreca became an official candidate in March.

"I am pleased that I have my signatures in and certified," wrote Kirby in an email Tuesday night to Patch. "It has been an honor to serve the people of Attleboro as a city councilor at-large and I look forward to working hard to earn their support in the upcoming election."

The top five vote-getters in the at-large contest win seats on the council. At-large Councilors Peter Blais, Richard Conti and Jay DiLisio have pulled papers. Sara-Lynn Reynolds said she would not run for a second term because the Democrat plans to challenge Republican state Sen. Richard Ross for his seat next year.

Local businessman Bert Buckley also pulled papers for the at-large council contest. He told Patch earlier this year he definitely would run. 

The fall election will also include contests for council ward representatives as well as ward and at-large school committee seats. Several people have pulled papers for various contests. Ward 5 Councilor Jeremy Denlea is the only ward councilor to return them as of Tuesday. No school committee candidate has submitted papers. The deadline is July 30.