Now 3 of 90 races will be on the primary ballot in September as a third candidate, Christopher Hussey files for alderman in Ward 11.  Ward 12 Alderman Patrick Arnold made his mayoral campaign official today, filing with supporters at 1 PM today to challenge incumbent Mayor Ted Gatsas.  The statement he released is here for your review.

In Ward 1, Tim Corbett filed for alderman, giving incumbent Joyce Craig competition.

The day’s big news comes with the filing of incumbent Ward 4 Alderman Jim Roy.  Thought to be out of the race due to health issues, Roy filed today at Noon.  He says his health is fine, aside from issues associated with a replaced hip, and that he’s looking forward to serving another term.  The scuttlebutt had been that Roy, in addition to health issues, was frustrated with various board decisions, including the recent ambulance contract award to AMR Ambulance.  While he acknowledged the term has had its disappointments, he said those things happen and it’s water under the bridge and he looks forward to future discussions about the best interest of the city.

Joe Whitten filed for alderman in Ward 6, giving competition to incumbent Garth “Vader” Corriveau, who is seeking his third term.  Republican leadership is high on Whitten’s candidacy, believing the frustrations with city government that have engendered a lot of public backlash will cause voters to give his candidacy serious consideration.  He’s married with young children which they believe will help him better relate to the average citizen in the ward, especially given Corriveau’s close ties to organized labor and desire for higher spending.

There were additional fillings for various ward offices as well.  With two days to go, it looks like there will either be a very light candidate count, potentially leaving several vacancies on the ballot or a mad rush of candidates before the filing period ends on Friday.  It is unlikely the city will see a surge in the number of primary races, forecasting a dismal primary turnout and the prospect that several wards may literally have blank primary ballots because of how Manchester’s non-partisan system is constructed.

Here’s the complete list of filings as of close of business today.