PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The ballot for this year’s Pittsfield city election is officially set, after the ballot order drawing took place Thursday afternoon. This year, there are several new candidates on the ballot who are hoping for a shake-up in city government.

There are a total of 10 candidates who are looking to join the city council next year. No matter how the election goes, it’s a guarantee there will be some new faces, with four current councilors deciding not to seek another term.

While each of the new candidates has their own issues they want to focus on, they’re all hoping to bring a new voice and perspective.

“I think it’s time we move the city forward," Craig Benoit, who is running as an at-large candidate, said. “We need some new ideas. We need to encourage small businesses. We need to focus more on public safety with our police and our fire.”

“As a former police officer here in Pittsfield for almost 32 years, public safety is one of my big ones,” said Karen Kalinowsky, also running for an at-large seat. “The condition of our city streets is another, the condition of our city schools is a third. I mean, I have kind of a long list.”

“I want to take care of the homeless. And right now, and in the past number of years, they haven’t been taken care of by the administration,” said Edward Carmel, who is challenging Ward 6 councilor Dina Lampiasi. “They will have housing, we need low-income housing here in Pittsfield.”

The deadline to register to vote in this year’s election is October 13, and election day is set for November 2.