"There's a major housing and job problem," Baldasaro said. "It's all rhetoric to most candidates. I'm out here to make sure people follow this line. I have a sixth sense this is my year."

Baldasaro said he hopes to protect citizens from crime.

"If [mayoral candidate Thomas M.] Menino clears Boston, we're not prepared to stop it," he said. "You students are our citizens, and we must protect you."

Baldasaro said that if elected, he will campaign to increase enforcement of Massachusetts alcohol laws on college campuses.

"Alcohol brings up rape and date rape," he said. "We have to curtail the sale of alcohol to students."

Candidate Kathy Born said her endorsement by several citizens groups was the key to her campaign.

"I think turnout is middle to low, and it's good if we can get our number one's out," Born said. "Being on many slates has helped me."

But C. Brendan Noonan, a supporter of Michael A. Sullivan, suggested Born's endorsement on the Cambridge Civic Association [CCA] slate may hurt her chances.

Noonan said, "The independents are tired of getting kicked around, and CCA supporters are not coming out this year."

Many supporters who campaigned for their city council hopefuls outside polling stations today were either related to or friends of the candidates.

"Different times of life I needed help, and the Sullivans were there for me," said Steven J. Powers, a Sullivan supporter.

Jon W. Holmes, a writer campaigning for Tom Weed, said his friendship for the candidate brought him into the cold.

"I've been here since 7:30 this morning for my friend Tom Weed," he said. "I do political stuff all the time. This year more people are working harder to get elected."

Lou Leahy, Kathy Born's father, stood outside the Peabody precinct holding a sign reading, "Vote for My Daughter."

Leahy said that Eunice and Pat Kennedy's campaigning for John F. Kennedy '40 led him to come out to support his daughter.