The usual suspects (incumbent at-large councilors Mickey Roache and Stephen Murphy, as well as current district councilor Maura Hennigan of Jamaica Plain, former Boston School Committee president Felix Arroyo, and Rob Consalvo, an aide to State Representative Angelo Scaccia of Hyde Park) signed up for the at-large council race. But a number of district councilors will face surprise opposition. The most contested race so far is in Dorchester, where three challengers are taking on incumbent Maureen Feeney, who was among a number of pols snared in a Boston Globe exposé two months ago for not filing a state tax return in at least one of the previous eight years. Her opponents include Mark Juaire, the president of the Dorchester Allied Neighborhood Association; Nathan Cooper, the 45-year-old past president of the Codman Square Neighborhood Council and the proprietor of a local business (for seven years, he sold Afrocentric accessories; for the past three, he's been retailing cell phones); and former cable talk-show host John Comerford, whom Feeney defeated in the last two elections.

Councilor Dan Conley of Hyde Park will face Joseph D. Wells of Roslindale. Another contender for the seat, 23-year-old city employee Michael J. Kelly (no relation to Michael Kelley, Menino's director of campaign operations), signed up for papers, but decided not to proceed because he says he didn't realize running would require a leave of absence from his job. John Tobin and Mike Rush will compete for the Jamaica Plain/West Roxbury district seat being vacated by Maura Hennigan. John F. Callahan of Brighton will face off against incumbent Brian Honan, and Rich Evans - cousin of powerful police commissioner Paul Evans - plans to challenge South Boston councilor Jimmy Kelly. Roy Owens, a perennial candidate from Roxbury, will run against incumbent Chuck Turner, and Vikki Middleton of Dorchester will take on council president Charles Yancey.

So far, only Mike Ross of the Fenway and Paul Scapicchio of the North End face no opposition. But in the strange world of politics, they may be the unlucky ones. Incumbent pols are rarely defeated - which means " it's not necessarily a bad thing for these guys to have opponents, " says Democratic consultant Michael Goldman: " It may cost them a couple of bucks, but it revs up their organization for [future races]. It's an aggravation, but it's a chance to get the rust out of their political machines. "