BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Seven candidates are officially in the race to become Buffalo's next mayor -- with a potential eighth candidate on the way. Thursday was the deadline for mayoral hopefuls to submit their petitions to get their names on the primary ballot. Six Democratic Party candidates -- Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon, New York State Senator Sean Ryan (the party's endorsed nominee), Buffalo Common Council Member Rasheed Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, community advocate Anthony Tyson Thompson, and Greater Jefferson Avenue Business Association member Michael Gainer -- all turned in at least 2,000 petition signatures from registered voters by 5 p.m. Another candidate, community organizer James Payne, has mailed his petition to the Board of Elections, the campaign told WIVB News 4. The Board of Elections must receive the petition by Monday in order for Payne to go on the ballot. On the Republican side, James Gardner, a former law clerk for Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case -- and the party's endorsed nominee -- also received enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Challenges will be accepted for a few weeks, which means candidates could potentially get kicked off the ballot. News 4 spoke with Scanlon inside the board's Eagle Street office, and the acting mayor said the petition process was both humbling and motivating. “It’s an indication that our campaign is being supported by people, residents of the City of Buffalo – live here, work here, raise their families here and are supportive of our campaign," Scanlon said. Scanlon said he turned in more than 7,500 signatures. Wyatt, who has represented the city's University District on the Buffalo Common Council since 2014, delivered nearly 4,000 signatures. Whitfield, the former Buffalo Fire Commissioner, filed around 4 p.m. -- and his campaign is hosting an end-of-petitioning celebration Thursday night. The primary elections will take place in late June, and the general election is slated for Nov. 4. Latest Local News 7 officially file to run for Buffalo mayor Man suffers non-life threatening injuries after driving into Niagara Gorge Man arrested during Olean Common Council Meeting for disorderly conduct after offering to donate money to the city Colvin Cleaners to hold 17th Gowns for Prom this Saturday UB will play for WNIT championship on home floor Dave Greber is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here. *** Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. ...read more read less