Deadline approaches for mayor candidates in Fall River

The deadline is quickly approaching for candidates interested in running for mayor of Fall River in a race that has added interest this fall.

Incumbent Mayor Jasiel Correia is not only up for re-election, but he’s also facing a federal trial in February after being indicted on 13 counts of fraud related to his SnoOwl app.

According to the Board of Elections, as of Wednesday, four people have taken out nomination paperwork, three people, including the mayor, have handed in the required 300 signatures, and only one candidate has been certified by the board and filed.

The deadline to hand in the signatures is Friday.

The field for the Fall is a familiar one for voters in the city, as Correia will face off against the runner-up in that special election in the spring, as well as another candidate from that recall election.

In March, Correia was overwhelmingly voted out of office by voters but was re-elected on the same night.

Paul Coogan, a candidate with a background in education, came up 241 votes shy in March.

“It’s just a drain for the taxpayers. I believe they’re going to get it right in the Fall And I’m hoping that we end up on top,” Coogan said. “I know it will be a different outcome because it will be down to a final two.” 

So far, Coogan has raised around $25,000 in campaign funds.

That is overwhelmingly more than the mayor. Mayor Correia has $3,984 in funds as of June 30, according to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

But Coogan believes as an incumbent, the mayor will catch up, but he said it won’t matter in the end.

“It’s not going to be about the money. It’s going to be about the message,” Coogan said.

Erica Scott-Pacheco, another candidate who handed in her signatures Monday agrees, saying that residents in Fall River want to see city hall restored in reputation.

“Every dollar we raise is really going back to a grassroots, people-powered campaign,” said Scott-Pacheco, who has a background in non-profits with 15 years experience. “[I’m] working to restore a sense of respect and justice to city hall.”

The election will start with a primary in September, where the top two candidates will face off in the November election.

Pacheco-Scott believes there will be a different outcome than the special election in November.

“We will absolutely not have an outcome with someone winning with only 35 percent of the vote,” she said. ” It’s a more democratic process with a preliminary.”

A fourth potential candidate, Angel Pantoja, also took out nomination papers but have not turned them in as of Wednesday afternoon. Pantoja will have until Friday to do so.

The mayor’s office did not return an ABC 6 News request for an interview.