If early returns hold, Cambridge residents have chosen a decidedly moderate council to lead it into the 21st century.

And it looks like the longtime city manager, Robert W. Healy, may not be joining it.

Last night, the city's star progressive, Katherine Triantafillou, was battling for the final spot on the council late last night with David P. Maher, a member of the school committee, and Bob Goodwin, a local parent. (Because of the city's proportional representation voting system, it is difficult to predict winners from preliminary results.)

While city voters appeared to return to office at least five of the six incumbents seeking re-election, they gave a plurality of their support to the council's most conservative member, Vice Mayor Anthony D. Galluccio.

And two newcomers--Marjorie C. Decker and James S. Braude--are polished political veterans who established strong neighborhood bases before running.

It looks like Cambridge's old-time liberals may be on their way out, as Mayor Francis H. Duehay '55 and former mayor Sheila Doyle Russell are retiring, and less temperate politicians are taking their places.

Duehay's solid middle-class supporters likely threw their weight behind Braude, a former labor lawyer and now media consultant.

And Decker received every major endorsement of note and had solid name recognition even she before decided to run for council.