Some see helpful savings in canceling Sept. vote.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Nick Kotsopoulos

WORCESTER - With the number of people taking out nomination papers for this year's municipal election running about 50 percent less than two years ago, some city councilors have renewed calls to cancel the September preliminary election.

They contend that would save the city $160,000 to $165,000, which could then be used to restore municipal programs or positions that have been eliminated through layoffs in City Manager Michael V. O'Brien's $491.1 million fiscal 2010 budget proposal.

"It's something we should consider a little further, especially given the significant cost savings if we didn't have one," said Councilor-at-Large Michael J. Germain. "That money could then be applied to bringing things back like the (municipal swimming) pools."

But some councilors believe the council should not get involved and simply let the process play out. They said if the apparent decline in interest in running for local public office continues, a preliminary election will not have to be held after all.

District 4 Councilor Barbara G. Haller said there would be a conflict of interest for the council to pursue canceling the preliminary because it would give an advantage to incumbents.

The issue, which was initially broached by City Clerk David J. Rushford earlier this year but ended up going nowhere, resurfaced Tuesday night during the City Council's review of the budgets for the city clerk's office, which includes the Elections Division.

The city charter mandates that a preliminary election be held in odd-numbered years, to pare the field of candidates running for City Council and School Committee. It traditionally has been held in September, six to eight weeks before the municipal election.

A preliminary is triggered when at least 13 candidates are running for either the six at-large seats on the City Council or the School Committee, and it is meant to narrow the field of candidates to 12 for the November ballot for those contests.

It also is held when three or more candidates are running for any of the five district City Council seats, and the runoff trims the district contests to two candidates in each race for the November ballot.

Mr. Rushford said it costs the city roughly $160,000 to $165,000 to hold a citywide election involving all 50 precincts. For district contests, he said, it costs about $32,000 per...