Chairman Phil Mendelson (D, At-Large) is officially running to permanently become chairman of the District Council. On Monday, he picked up nominating petitions at the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics.

Mendelson was selected as interim chairman last week by his colleagues.

A special election on Nov. 6 will fill the seat vacated by former Chairman Kwame Brown, who recently resigned before pleading guilty to federal bank charges.

According to the D.C. BOEE website, three other candidates have also picked up petitions to run for the chairmanship:

• John C. Cheeks (Independent)
• Dorothy Douglas (Democrat)
• Robert L. Matthews (Stage Green)

Though Councilman Vincent Orange had indicated an interest in pursuing the seat, while simultaneously running to keep his At-Large seat, The Washington Post offers unconfirmed reports that Orange may have changed his mind:

"People familiar with his thinking said Wednesday that Council member Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large) has concluded he’s not running for the chairman’s seat to focus on his at-large contest. Orange relayed his intention to stay out of the race to Mendelson over the weekend, the sources say."

Orange has not picked up a petition for the chairman race.

To appear on the ballot, a candidate must secure signatures of 3,000 registered voters in the District.

The petition period to appear on the ballot began Friday and ends Wednesday, Aug. 8.

Whoever wins the seat will complete Brown's term, which ends in January 2015.