With a scant four weeks left until the November election, the race for Cape and Islands state representative is heating up quietly as four candidates — one Democrat and three independents — begin to work their campaigns in earnest.

The candidates are Daniel Larkosh of West Tisbury, who won the Democratic primary, Melissa Freitag, an independent from Falmouth, Jacob Ferreira, an independent from Vineyard Haven, and Tim Madden, an independent from Nantucket. Mr. Madden also ran unsuccessfully as a write-in candidate on the Democratic ticket in the September state primary.

This marks the first time there has been a hotly contested race for the seat since the district was formed 20 years ago. Cape and Islands Rep. Eric T. Turkington, a Democrat, is stepping down from his seat after 10 terms.

Already the race has begun to see some strange bedfellows in the form of endorsements that fall outside party lines.

Voters looking to the Cape and Islands delegation for guidance as they evaluate the candidates may find none. Mr. Turkington has said he will not endorse Mr. Larkosh, the only Democrat in the race, although he also says he may not endorse anyone. Cape and Islands Sen. Robert O’Leary, a Democrat, has so far been mum about endorsements.

Meanwhile, there appears to be a small but growing movement on the Vineyard to support the Nantucket candidate, Mr. Madden, who has been the legislative liaison for 10 years.

Tim Lasker, a Chilmark resident who ran in the Democratic primary and lost, announced last week that he will support Mr. Madden.

“With four candidates on the November ballot, one stands alone as the superior choice: Tim Madden. The other Tim, as I like to refer to him, possesses a wide array of important qualifications on state and local issues, and family life in our communities,” Mr. Lasker wrote in an open letter to his supporters. “I am impressed with his overall understanding of the three unique and distinctly different communities within the district. Listening to him discuss the issues, especially those most important to the Vineyard, demonstrates how much he has been listening to the concerns of the voters, not just on Nantucket, but throughout the district.”

And while that may seem of limited significance, in fact Mr. Lasker carried the Vineyard in the primary, while Mr. Larkosh won the primary riding on strong support in Falmouth. Among other things, Mr. Larkosh has received backing from the principle Steamship Authority union.

As Vineyard voters begin to try to sort it all out, a public forum will be held next Thursday night in the Baylies Room at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard, the forum begins at 7 p.m. All four candidates are slated to attend and answer questions from the press and the public on the issues.

Meanwhile, candidates are quietly campaigning throughout the district, including the two independents who did not figure in the September primary.

Melissa Freitag, who works two jobs on the Cape, said she campaigns during her time off. Ms. Freitag works part-time at an architect’s firm; her status as a municipal employee at Cape Cod Community College prohibits her from raising money for her own campaign.

She has two fundraisers scheduled for the Falmouth area — one on Oct. 29 at the Fishmonger cafe in Woods Hole. She has nothing confirmed as of yet in terms of fundraisers on the Island, but she comes here almost every weekend for meet-and-greets and to talk to voters. “I’ve generated serious support and I’m pleased with it,” she said.

Ms. Freitag said while she has traveled to Nantucket several times, “Nantucket is a difficult market to break into, shall we say,” alluding to the overwhelming support there for Mr. Madden.

Mr. Ferreira said he has done some campaigning in Falmouth.

“This has been such a great grass roots experience. I will be back on Island this weekend,” he said.

A debate among the four candidates aired last month on WCAI, the Cape and Islands National Public Radio Station, and is still available for listening on the parent station Web site WGBH.org.

Another debate aired last night on Falmouth Community Television.

Gazette reporter Sam Bungey contributed to this story.