Two closely watched mayoral races in Chicopee and Northampton came to a close yesterday.

The winners: Northampton incumbent Mary Clare Higgins, and Chicopee candidate Michael Bissonnette, who won by a landslide after the city?s current mayor, Richard Goyette, was arrested on federal extortion charges.

Mayor-elect Bissonnette said he?ll be ready to take over control of the Chicopee by the end of the week. He just needs the OK to do it.

The city?s Board of Aldermen has asked Goyette to resign, but the mayor has told them he has no plans to step down before his term expires in January.

If Goyette bows to mounting public and political pressure to change his mind, Bissonnette can take over immediately.

Bissonnette, a 51-year-old lawyer, said Wednesday should be ?a day of reflection for the sitting mayor.?

?The voters sent him a message for what he should do,? Bissonnette said, stopping short of making a personal plea for Goyette to resign.

Goyette, 36, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. His telephone line was busy, and he?s been largely out of public view since his arrest.

Goyette withdrew from his bid for a second two-year term last week, two days after the FBI arrested and charged him with taking two illegal $5,000 campaign contributions from city businessmen.

Meanwhile, Higgins, who won 61.5 percent of the vote against challenger Richard J. Feldman, celebrated her victory at Caf