Chances of breaking the deadlock in the Cambridge election for mayor seemed slim at 7:30 p.m. yesterday, when the nine-man City Council met for a second day of balloting.

Under the so-called Plan E, city manager government of Cambridge, the new Council, which took office Monday, is powerless to act until it has elected one of its members mayor and another vice-mayor. A majority is required for election.

At present, a critical factor in the contest is a group of four councilmen backed by the Cambridge Civic Association, popularly known as the CCA. This "good-government" reform group has controlled the City Council for the past four years, and has, in past elections, opposed most of the other present Councilmen.

In Monday's balloting, the Independents had divided their votes at one time or another, between virtually all the men in their group, with no man at any time receiving more than three votes. The Civic Association Councilmen, however, had voted as a group, with all four votes going to different CCA men on different ballots.

Although the voting has not shown any definite trends toward a decision, John J. Foley, an Independent, and Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29, a CCA man, are considered the leading candidates.