PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Two candidates remain in the race for mayor of the city of Pittsfield following Tuesday's vote.

Candidates Peter Marchetti and John Krol received 47% and 38% of the votes respectively in the Pittsfield preliminary election which drew just less than 16% of registered city voters to the polls.

“It was pretty exciting to see the way that the results were coming in and the fact that we were able to take all 14 precincts in the city," said Marchetti, the current City Council president. "A little bit of disappointment in the fact that the voter turnout was lower than what we had expected.”

“It was a very low turnout," Krol said. "When the vast majority of voters come out in November, I believe that we are going to come out ahead with flying colors. So, I am so excited about it. You know, the city just has a deep desire for a change and revitalization.”

As the general election nears, the two mayoral candidates said not much will change about their messages and campaign approaches moving forward.

“People will be able to finally put Peter Marchetti next to John Krol and make a true decision about who is going to be best to lead this city with a sense of urgency which we desperately need," Krol said. "We cannot have complacency. We cannot have the same old, same old, the same old status quo that's gotten to us to a point where taxes are going through the roof and people are not seeing anything in exchange for those higher taxes.”

“I think the message of leadership you can trust, experience you can count on, and dedication that's proven is there and it's resonating with the voters," Marchetti said. "And I think that this campaign needs to be kicked into high gear and talking about the future. Pittsfield has had many successes, and we need to be able to build on those successes.”

Marchetti noted the city’s positives like the Berkshire Innovation Center, the newly built Taconic High School and the work being done at Site 9 among other projects; saying now the focus needs to be revitalizing downtown, helping neighborhoods and the post-COVID pandemic economy for Pittsfield.

Krol said the goal would be to take any positive in the city and elevate it exponentially; saying there’s a lot which needs to be fixed and his experience in the small business and corporate sectors will bring a sense of urgency to office if elected.

“I think this race is going to be painted as the change candidate versus a status quo candidate, and quite frankly, I think that's a mismatched label," Marchetti said. "I have worked for the City of Pittsfield for decades. I served under three mayors, and I think that my record will speak to itself by the end of the day. I just need to make sure that the voters understand what my record is.”

“We are going to present lower taxes, we're going to present a revitalized downtown, better schools versus the status quo," Krol said. "So, the choice is now very clear, and we are going to send that message out, connect with as many voters as we possibly can for a greater turnout in November, and we're going to get to victory in November.”

Pittsfield's deadline to register or change voter information ahead of the general election is Saturday Oct. 28. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.