Regardless of the result, the mayor of Havre de Grace after Tuesday's election will be a familiar face to city government.
All three candidates running against incumbent John P. Correri Jr. are current City Council members who are giving up their seats for a shot at becoming mayor.
And the effect of Frederick H. Cullum, Wayne Dougherty and Gary A. Wasielewski entering the race is that the six-member council will be remade. The three are the most senior members of the council and have each served multiple terms.
"There has been a lot of comment about that loss of experience [on the council]," Dougherty said. "If in fact three new people are elected, with proper orientation, it should be a smooth transition."
Wasielewski emphasized the potential benefits to having a slew of new council members making decisions for the town of about 11,000.
"Just because you've run before, it doesn't mean you'll have all the answers," he said. "New people means new blood and new experiences."
Residents can cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the social hall of St. Patrick's Church at 615 Congress Ave.
Correri said the large field in the mayor's race reflects "a strong sign of the community."
Last fall, Correri lost a bid for the Harford County Council seat for District F, which includes Havre de Grace. Two of his challengers for the mayor's seat, Dougherty and Cullum, have pledged not to seek higher political office.
"I have no aspiration for higher office, no further than the city as mayor," Cullum said.
When asked whether he believes that Correri's bid for the county seat could affect voter opinion, Cullum said, "Some people will feel ... that if somebody was willing to walk away from the position and abandon it, they're not interested in it."
But Correri said he was motivated to run for the county seat out of a desire to represent his hometown.
"Havre de Grace is a large portion of that district and we decided that we wanted good representation for the district," said Correri, who lost to Democrat Mary Ann Lisanti, a former city manager for Havre de Grace, in the County Council race.
The mayor and council members serve two-year terms. Three of the six council seats are up for grabs each year.
The eight candidates vying for the council seats are: James Allen Boyle, Randolph Craig, Thomas Fitzpatrick, Barbara Jenifer-Ferguson, Joe Kochenderfer, Kalman Riegelhaupt, Herman Schweers Jr. and James Walker.
