LEWISTON — November’s race for the City Council will be tight and competitive in every ward except Ward 3.

Only Councilor Larry Poulin is going into November unchallenged at the ballot box. Barring a write-in challenge, Poulin will be back in his set when the next City Council is sworn in next January.

Every other seat for the council or mayor has at least two names competing to win — and three or four in some cases.

The Lewiston City Clerk closed nominations Friday afternoon. Thirty-eight people passed petitions to seek 16 open seats on the council and School Committee.

The race for mayor narrowed to two candidates Friday morning, with only Mayor Larry Gilbert and challenger Mark Paradis winning spots on the ballot. Local entertainer Nick Knowlton withdrew his name from the race Friday morning, saying he needed to devote time to his sick mother-in-law.

“My emotions are all wrapped up in that,” Knowlton said. “As much as I’d like to campaign aggressively for this, my family needs me now.”

It’s the second time this season that Knowlton withdrew from the campaign. He stepped back briefly in August, but reinserted hiimself into the race after talking to supporters.

“I hope the people of Lewiston aren’t too mad at me for being in and out so much,” he said. “I just hope that later on, when I’m a little older, I can do it again.”

Knowlton did throw his support behind challenger Paradis, a former two-term city councilor from Ward 6. 

“Mark is a real good guy, and I think he can bring some real good stuff and make the job just what it should be,” Knowlton said.

The council will have at least three new faces when the new councl takes office in January, with Councilors Tom Peters, Nelson Peters and Betty Dube not seeking new terms.

In Ward 1, two men are vying to fill Tom Peters’ spot. They include School Committee member John Butler, Douglas T. Stone of 8 Bridge St. and Stanley Pelletier of 28 S. Surry Lane.

Four candidates are in the race to replace Ward 2’s Nelson Peters. They are former Planning Department staffer Doreen Crist, former City Councilor Renee Bernier, Donald D’Auteuil of 368 East Ave, and Andrew MacIsaac of 44 Orestis Way.

With Councilor Betty Dube not seeking another term in Ward 6, Mark A. Cayer of  56 Webber Ave., faces David M. Dunn, of 130 Summit Ave.

But the four councilors seeking another term aren’t guaranteed a win, either.

In Ward 4, Councilor Denis Theriault will face former Councilor Ron Jean. Theriault took over Jean’s seat beginning in 2008 after Jean declined to seek re-election.

In Ward 7, Councilor Robert Reed will face a challenge from Planning Board Chairman Stephen Morgan and Marianne Bratton-Davis of 280 South Ave.

Ward 5 Councilor Tina Bailey will face perennial candidate Charles Soule of 135 Bartlett St. This will be the sixth time Soule has sought elected office in Lewiston.

The situation is different on the Lewiston School Committee ballot. City Clerk Kathy Montejo said no candidates stepped forward to try for the Ward 3 seat on the committee. Now, the city and the School Department will begin looking for a write-in campaign to fill the seat.

[email protected]