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Takoma Park voters went to the polls Tuesday to pick a mayor and two council members for their city.

There were three contested elections this year: Incumbent Mayor Bruce Williams ran against fellow Ward 3 resident Roger Schlegel for the mayor's office while Ward 6 residents Navid Nasr and Frederick Schultz competed for that ward's vacant seat. Finally Ward 4 incumbent Councilman Terry Seamens faced newcomer Eric Mendoza, a write-in candidate, for that ward.

The polls did not close until 8 p.m., but resident Kay Daniels-Cohen, who arrived at the Community Center to campaign for Williams at 6 a.m., said lines were constant throughout the day.

"It's pretty exciting, I would say it's a rather heavy turnout, and I'm thinking that's probably due to the mayoral contest," she said, adding that she had seen plenty of voters for both Williams and Schlegel by mid-afternoon.

Some of the biggest issues facing Takoma Park officials are balancing the city's budget, which has faced severe cuts from the state, as well as development along the New Hampshire Avenue corridor in Ward 6.

Council members Josh Wright, Colleen Clay, Dan Robinson and Reuben Snipper, wards 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively, ran officially unopposed in this year's election. Councilwoman Donna Victoria, (Ward 6) was a temporary replacement member, leaving that seat open in this year's election.

Of the roughly 18,000 residents of Takoma Park, only about 11,000 registered to vote as of Election Day, according to City Clerk Jessie Carpenter. Elections are held every two years in Takoma Park and candidates are all unregistered independents.

A total of 1,010 votes were cast in the 2007 election according to Carpenter. In 2005, the last year a mayoral race was contested in the city, over 2,000 votes were cast, she said.