FREDERICK, MD - Candidates running for office in Frederick had to file by Tuesday afternoon.

On the Democratic side, former Mayor Jennifer Dougherty will face off against newcomers Jason Judd and Chris Simpson.

"On her plus side is the four years experience that she has.  She needs to go out there and show people how she's changed and can go out there and sit down and work with other folks," says George Wenschhof, a political blogger.

Pundits say Dougherty's biggest competition is Judd.

Wenschhof adds, "Obvioulsy with the support of Ron Young that helps him get instant credibility, however he's still relatively unknown."

The battle on the Republican side is between bagel store owner Randy McClement, tow truck owner Clint Hoffman, and new to the race is the mayor's assistant, Ron Tobin.

One thing that's already surprising is who the current mayor, Jeff Holtzinger, will support.  About three weeks ago he told NBC25 his favorite is McClement, but now that Tobin is running, the mayor says it's likely that he'll endorse him.

Observers say the early retirement program could be the one thing that presents a challenge for Tobin, but the economy as well as other issues could shift the focus.

In a city that's home to more than 60,000 residents, only a handful have voted in past elections, which means the key to winning this race is voter turnout.

Also on the ballot are nine Democrats and 11 Republicans running for alderman.  Four of them are incumbents, and in a surprise move, two of them, Alan Imhoff and Kip Koontz, just filed Tuesday.

Frederick's primary is September 15th.