A first for Watertown: A woman will be elected to the mayor's office Tuesday

Nov. 3—WATERTOWN — City Council members Lisa A. Ruggiero and Sarah V. Compo Pierce are about to make history.

The winner of Tuesday's election will be the first woman to be elected mayor of Watertown.

"It's a historic event," Ruggiero said, stressing that it is "long over due."

They both realize the historic significance and are proud that one of them will break that glass ceiling.

But they stressed that they don't believe that they should be elected just because they are women.

"I hope it's because I'm the best person for the job and I would hope people think that I am," Compo Pierce said.

Their election also would mark the first time in more than 30 years that the city won't have a mayor named Jeff or Joe. Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith was preceded by three others: Joseph M. Butler Jr., Jeffrey E. Graham and Joseph M. Butler Sr.

The two mayoral candidates are coming around the last stretch, with this the last weekend of campaigning.

Both will be knocking on doors looking for votes.

"I'm going to be busy," said Ruggiero, 62. "I'm just going to be out meeting people."

She was surprised that there are still voters who haven't made up their minds about who they're going to cast their votes for.

When she was going door-to-door last weekend, Ruggiero came across some voters still thinking about it.

Ruggiero will be going to a pancake breakfast at the Salvation Army on Sunday.

Compo Pierce, 37, doesn't have a set strategy, she said. She's just ready to make one last push.

Ruggiero has been on council for almost six years, while Compo Pierce has served for five years.

They are running for a four-year term.

If Compo Pierce loses, she won't have a seat on the council. If she wins, the two top vote getters in the council race will fill her seat and the one being vacated by Councilman Patrick J. Hickey, who lost in the June primary.

If Ruggiero wins, her spot will be filled by an appointment and then a special election next November.

The four council candidates are Robert O. Kimball, Benjamin P. Shoen, Leonard G. Spaziani and Timothy "T.J." Babcock.

They, too, are running for four-year terms. City elections are nonpartisan races.