PORTSMOUTH — Fifteen residents will vie for the seven available seats on the Portsmouth Town Council this election season. 

Ten of the candidates are listed as Democrats, which will force a party primary on Sept. 10.

The crowded council field is rounded out by four Republicans and one independent. Four people — three Democrats and one independent — are running for the three available seats on the School Committee. 

In the General Assembly races, it appears only one of the incumbents — Rep. Susan Donovan (D-Dist. 69) of Bristol, who represents a portion of Portsmouth — will face a challenge. Sergei M. Sharenko of Bristol is also running for that seat, as an independent.

Citizens wishing to run for office in this year’s election had until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, to file their candidacy papers.

Here are the candidates who declared their intention to run when they submitted their paperwork.

Town Council (7 available seats)

• Sondra A. Blank, 100 Emmanuel Drive (D)

• Michael DiPaola, 40 Col. Barton Drive (D)

• Philip T. Driscoll, 169 Immokolee Drive (D)

• David P. Fiorillo, 45 Hamilton Drive (D)

• David M. Gleason, 63 Massasoit Ave. (R)

• Timothy E. Grissett, 136 Norseman Drive (D)

• Keith E. Hamilton, 134 Soares Drive (R)

• Charles J. Levesque, 542 Park Ave. (D)

• Tasha M. MacGibbon, 47 McCorrie Lane (D)

• Mary A. McDowell, 94 Point Road (I)

• Sharlene M. Patton, 12 Fourth St. (R)

• Juan Carlos Payero, 23 Arrowhead Lane (D)

• David G. Reise, 66 Freeborn St. (R)

• John Mark Ryan, 155 Adams Drive (D)

• Tarah B. Woods, 39 Windrock Circle (D)

Notes: Gleason, Hamilton, Levesque, and Ryan are incumbents, while Blank and Payero are currently members of the School Committee. Driscoll is a longtime member of the Portsmouth Water and Fire District’s Administrative Board. DiPaola is known locally as being the owner of the “spite lot” on East Main Road, which is filled with signs protesting town government. He ran for council unsuccessfully as an independent in 2022.

School Committee (3 available seats)

• Emily A. Copeland, 25 Windstone Drive (D)

• John Joseph Delehanty III, 98 Malee Terrace (D)

• Brett W. Fox, 481 Sandy Point Ave. (I)

• Karen E. Marlow McDaid, 65 Gormley Ave. (D)

Notes: Copeland and McDaid are incumbents.

R.I. General Assembly

• Terri-Denise Cortvriend, 46 Mary Lane — House Dist. 72 (D)

• Susan Ann Donovan, Bristol — House Dist. 69 (D)

• Michelle Elise McGaw, 58 Camara Drive — House Dist. 71 (D)

• Sergei M. Sharenko, Bristol  — House Dist. 69 (I)

• Linda Lee Ujifusa, 155 Adams Drive — Senate Dist. 11 (D)

Notes: Cortvriend, Donovan, McGaw, and Ujifusa are all incumbents. McGaw is the wife of Jim McGaw, editor of The Portsmouth Times.

Local party committees

The following residents filed papers to run for the Democrat Town Committee: Glenn D. Allen, Raylene L. Allen, Paula Ann Bradley, Emily Ann Copeland, Terri-Denise Cortvriend, Raymond D. Davis, Frederick W. Faerber III, Mary Ellen Fischer, Kevin P. Gavin, Richard E. Gottlieb, Timothy E. Grissett, Mark J. Katzman, Paul M. Kelly, Isabelle Altman Kelly, Andrew V. Kelly, Charles J. Levesque, Marjorie F. Levesque, Karen E. Marlow McDaid, John G. McDaid, Michelle Elise McGaw, Juan Carlos Payero, John Mark Ryan, and Linda Lee Ujifusa.

The following residents filed papers to run for the Republican Town Committee: Theodore Thomas Czech, Conrad James Donahue, Lawrence J. Fitzmorris, Joseph A. Forgione, Keith E. Hamilton, Carol A. Kaiser, Thomas J. Kaiser, Stephen E. Larson, Hubert E. Little, Sharlene M. Patton, Frank J. Rattay, David G. Reise, Jeffrey L. Richard, Ellen C. Vadney, Thomas Richard Vadney, Robert John Vergnani, and Rachel Long Whitmarsh.