The election will determine the next political chapter of the city as two-term Mayor Gavin Buckley, a Democrat, leaves office and half of the current City Council is not running for reelection.

Of the eight city wards, six have competitive elections for alderman, the representatives on the City Council. Incumbent Democrat Ward 7 Alderman Rob Savidge and Democrat candidate in Ward 4, Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson, Anne Arundel County employee and Annapolis political newcomer, are each running unopposed.

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The first unofficial results will be posted soon after polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Tuesday results will only include in-person votes on Election Day.

On Thursday, the city will begin to count mail-in votes and votes places in ballot drop boxes. The final results are set to be released on Nov. 12, the deadline for mail postmarked by Election Day to be received by election officials.

Capital Gazette reporters are positioned across the city Tuesday morning talking to voters and candidates.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, voted around 9 a.m. Tuesday at Annapolis City Hall. Inside the City Council Chambers, Moore thanked election workers for helping out in the election.

Outside City Hall, Moore spoke with Democrat mayoral candidate Jared Littmann and Democrat Ward 1 Alderman Harry Huntley, who is vying for an elected term on the City Council after his appointment last year.

Moore told the Capital Gazette that this is an "exciting time" for the city and encouraged Annapolis residents to vote on Tuesday.

"I'm so excited about what this is going to mean for the future of Annapolis, what it's going to mean for the future of Maryland," Moore said. "Now is the time for us to move fast, for us to be able to drive forward, for us to not just be able to push back against what we're seeing from the Trump administration, but push forward, push forward for a new and a future-facing vision for the state of Maryland and for Annapolis."

-- Katharine Wilson

On Tuesday morning, both mayoral candidates and Ward 1 alderman candidates were talking to voters and waving signs outside Annapolis City Hall.

Early morning Ward 1 voters who spoke with the Capital Gazette had differing opinions on if the city should stick to continue the work done by the term-limited mayor Buckley or to change the city's direction to address rising property tax payments.

Dana Mebane, a 60-year-old Ward 1 resident, said she voted for Republican mayoral candidate Robert O'Shea and independent candidate Tom Krieck because of their campaign messaging on taxes and the city budget.

"I think it's really time for a change," Mebane said on why she voted for O'Shea. "He's not just making empty campaign promises ... . He knows what can and cannot be done ... . I think he has some good ideas that are doable."

Dharma Pachner, a 54-year-old Ward 1 resident who has lived in the city for 20 years, said he likes the momentum that Buckley has had during his terms as mayor.

"I want to see the continuity in terms of what Mayor Gavin Buckley has done with the city," Pachner said. "It's very hard to get things done in this city; there's a lot of competing factions. I like the idea of continuously finding ways to evolve this city, to make it ... safer, more pedestrian friendly, more environmentally conscious."

Pachner said he voted for Littmann and Huntley to continue work done by Buckley. Buckley has endorsed the two Democrats.

-- Katharine Wilson