WOONSOCKET — Thirty-one people declared their intentions to run for office in the city’s off-year elections and it looks like there will be primaries in the mayor’s and City Council races.

Yesterday was the deadline to declare for mayor, City Council and School Committee.

Incumbent Mayor Susan D. Menard, who has been in office for 12 years, is seeking a seventh term. She is being challenged by retired city police detective Todd R. Brien, who is vying with her for the city’s top job for a second time. Michael A. Mello is also running for the mayor’s position.

Because there are three candidates for mayor there will be a primary Oct. 9. The top two vote-getters will face each other in November.

All but one of the seven City Council members are seeking reelection. City Council President Leo T. Fontaine is seeking reelection as are council members Normand J. Laliberte Jr., J. Michel Martineau, William D. Schneck Jr., Suzanne Jean Vadenais and John F. Ward. Fontaine, who has served 14 years on the council and had considered running for mayor, said that he decided against it because a mayoral run at this time would have too much of an impact on his family-operated legal and probate research firm. City Councilman Brian Blais announced earlier this month that he would not seek reelection.

The challengers for the City Council seats are Christopher A. Beauchamp, Stella G. Brien, a former state representative, Daniel M. Gendron, Eugene L. Girard, Roger Harris, Roger G. Jalette Sr., a former City Council member, Michael Moniz, who has run for various offices in the city, Harvey F. Nabozny, Robert D. Phillips, Christopher M. Roberts, Edward M. Roy Jr., and Thomas W. Wrona.

Because there are more than 14 candidates for City Council there will be a primary and the top 14 will proceed to the November elections, said Linda Fontaine, the manager of the Board of Canvassers.

All five School Committee members will be running for office again. The incumbents include Allen L. Auclair, School Committee President Marc A. Dubois, Anita Ann MGuire-Forcier, Eleanor M. Nadeau and Michelle R. Williams, the vice president of the committee.

Challengers for School Committee positions include Anthony Joseph Gabriele, Linda Majewski, John J. McLaughlin, Daniel Moran and Richard Picard. There will be no primary.

Each candidate must take out declaration papers and return them with the required number of 100 signatures of eligible voters by 4 p.m. Sept. 18.

tpina@projo.com