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It was a good election year for incumbents in Takoma Park, as Mayor Bruce Williams and City Councilman Terry Seamens (Ward 4) both won re-election to their respective posts in two of the city's three contested elections Nov. 3.

Williams triumphed over challenger Roger Schlegel with 1,000 votes to 664, while Seamens, competing against newcomer Eric Mendoza, drew the majority vote in his ward, 196 votes to Mendoza's 12.

Frederick Schultz took the Ward 6 seat with 138 votes to competitor Navid Nasr's 61. Councilwoman Donna Victoria will step down from her temporary post as the Ward 6 representative at the official city inauguration Nov. 16.

While glad to have won re-election, Williams tempered his euphoria with a dose of pragmatism as he prepares to face one of the city's toughest financial years to date. Takoma Park's budget suffered a $577,000 cut as the state made up for its own massive budget deficit, and further cuts are on the way.

"We'll see what's coming down from the state, they're going to announce their next round of cuts in the next two weeks so [we'll have to see] how we're going to go forward," Williams said. Eager to build bridges, he said he is also eager to see his opponent continue to take an active role in city politics.

Schlegel was optimistic about his showing, and already planning his next moves to assist the city in surviving the recession.

"Now everybody has to roll up their sleeves and bring everybody into the process and see how we're going to handle the fiscal situation," Schlegel said, echoing his early campaign slogan that, especially at the local government level, everyone should feel encouraged to do their part for the community.

While Ward 6 will have its first full-time elected representative since Doug Barry moved out of the city last June, the struggle continues for many residents in the city's most crime-plagued, development-driven area. Both Nasr and the newly-elected Schultz acknowledged the need to unite the many separate and often disconnected neighborhood organizations in the ward to avoid problems of disenfranchisement felt by many residents in the past.

"The very first thing I did last night when the results were announced is I went over and spoke with [Nasr], I shook his hand," Schultz said in an interview Wednesday. "I also told him that because he had so much experience as a tenant organizer, I hoped that he wouldn't be disheartened ... I'm interested in strengthening the existing homeowner's associations here, if there's a way to get the tenants a voice and at the same time educate them, I'm going to work toward that."

Nasr was far from disheartened by his loss when reached for comment.

"I'm a little disappointed, but also I feel invigorated and empowered," Nasr said. He has high hopes that the contacts he made campaigning will help him unite the community. "One thing we can't do is throw our hands up and say ‘oh well,' and revert to the status quo, because the status quo is untenable."

In Ward 4, the race between Seamens and Mendoza can be characterized better as a testing of the waters than a serious bid for change. Mendoza, who described Seamens as a mentor and a key influence on his decision to run, inspired more pride in the older incumbent than competitive drive.

"To see one of the people we've worked with ... one of our neighbors step forward and work toward finding solutions was very rewarding," Seamens said after the election, adding that Mendoza's speeches on the importance of providing more youth programs inspired him to consider new partnerships. "Mr. Mendoza and I have already agreed that he will work with me very closely in identifying some of the issues for young people ... to help find solutions."

Mendoza summed up his run as a successful introduction to city-level politics, an experience that has left him hungry for more.

"It was a win-win situation because we still have Mr. Seamens running Ward 4 so we're in good hands," he said. "[In the future] I have to get more in tune with the people and see what the general public wants from me as a candidate. To see what I can bring to the table the next time I sit down."

A total of 1,728 residents voted in this election, including 89 citizens who voted by absentee ballot before the 8 p.m. deadline.

Many speculated the contest between Williams and Schlegel accounted for the spike. Williams ran unopposed in 2007, and that election only totaled 1,010 votes, while the 2005 election, which featured three mayoral candidates, brought in more than 2,000 votes, said City Clerk Jessie Carpenter.

Though this year's turnout did not eclipse the 2005 numbers, Chief Election Judge Anne Sergeant said the volume of voters this year was still daunting at times.

"We usually have a big burst in the morning, and then we have ups and downs throughout the day, but today it's been pretty steady all day," she said on election day. "It's a double-edged sword; on one hand it's like, 'great! Thanks for coming out!' and on the other hand it's just ... whew!"

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 and have won re-election in their respective wards.

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