Photo by Bill Green Election volunteer poll workers Alexandra Tyron-Hopko, left, and Gail Boggs set up voting machines Monday at the William Talley Recreation Center in preparation for today’s Frederick city election. Voters will choose a mayor and fill the five seats of the Board of Aldermen.

Officials hope the vote to decide a new mayor and fill the five seats of the Board of Aldermen will also bring more people to the polls than the sparsely attended primary election.

Republican Randy McClement will square off against Democrat Jason Judd.

Mayor Jeff Holtzinger decided against running for a second term, leaving his office open to a new city executive.

Three incumbent aldermen, Democrat Donna Kuzemchak and Republicans Alan Imhoff and C. Paul Smith, will attempt to win back their seats amid a deep field of newcomers wanting a place at the city dais.

Voters will choose from seven other aldermanic candidates: Democrats Carol Krimm, Michael O'Connor, Kelly Russell and Karen Young, and Republicans Shelley Aloi, Amanda Haddaway and Chris Huckenpoehler.

Elections officials are hopeful today's turnout will be greater than the Sept. 15 primary election that narrowed the field of candidates.

A little less than 18 percent of the city's 24,943 registered Democrats and Republicans cast ballots at the city's six polling places.

"I'm the eternal optimist. I'm hoping for a good turnout," said Anne Leffler, director of the city's Board of Supervisors of Elections. "We've got good weather, so that's not going to be an excuse."

But good weather did little to buoy voter turnout in September. Candidates are hoping their messages will also help bring voters to the polls.

In an election that has lacked an intensity found in prior city contests, attracting voters to the polls may be easier said than done.

The race has been largely driven by issues between two mayoral candidates who have no record of political service to promote.

Much of the public discourse has been in response to perennial issues being hashed out in City Hall: growth, development, budget and management of city affairs.

At a debate at Frederick Community College last week, Judd and McClement directly questioned each other's experience and standing for the job of mayor for the first time.

Both announced in February they were running, and said they have strived to maintain civility throughout the campaign, distancing themselves from attacks lobbied by other organizations.

"I think Jason and I have tried to, one-on-one, keep it to the facts and go from there," said McClement, 53.

McClement made an unsuccessful run for alderman four years ago. He has owned and operated the Market Bagel & Deli on South Market Street for 10 years.

McClement has touted his status as a small business owner who has been involved in the community since coming to Frederick .

"I am vested in this town. This wasn't about politics; this was about me wanting to serve the town," he said.

Judd, 37, said "on the whole, the campaign was well fought."

An executive and advocacy campaign director at the Service Employees International Union, Judd moved to Frederick two years ago. He grew up near the city and graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High School.

He has talked of his experience as an organizer and economist as an advantage as well as his work at the national and state levels of government.

"We feel good, we think we've run a good campaign and we're working hard right to the end," he said.