WORCESTER, Mass. - Five candidates, both new and familiar, are vying to become the next mayor of Worcester in Tuesday's municipal election.

Guillermo Creamer, Jr. came up short of an at-large city council seat in 2021. But this time around, his confidence levels are high.

"I think the reality here is that folks want to see a new perspective, they want to see new leadership," Creamer, Jr. said. "And when you look at the race, I'm the only fresh face."

Creamer, Jr. is a member of the city's Human Rights Commission, but he has never held elected office. The 29-year-old is basing his campaign on three principles: community, equity and opportunity, especially when it comes to housing.

"They believe these units are for attracting folks from outside of Worcester to come in," Creamer, Jr said. "I have no issue with bringing folks in to Worcester. What I do have an issue with though is the fact that our residents feel that these new units that are coming online are not for them because of how expensive they are."

Joining Creamer, Jr. in the hunt for their first term is long-time community activist Bill Coleman. Coleman is far from a new face, having run for office in the city since 1979. 

"What people need is hope," Coleman said. "And in the city of Worcester, people need hope too. People feel that they don't matter."

While the title of mayor would be nice, Coleman said he would be happy with an at-large seat on the council. In an effort to show people they matter, Coleman said Worcester needs an elected leader who engages more with the community.

"Getting folks to volunteer, do things, sweep a street, clean up a neighborhood," he said. "We want a safe and clean city."

The rest of the field is rounded out by some already serving in office. Current at-large City Councilor Khrystian King threw his name in the mix this summer.

A council veteran for just short of a decade, priorities for King include making Worcester more affordable and sustainable.

"I think there's challenges with our unsheltered, unhoused," King said. "We're seeing an uptick in our elderly who are having difficulty aging in place. Also, I think our youth and our students need to have options that are available to them after school."

King, a social worker, feels it's time for a new era at City Hall.

"I think it's time for the mayor to be at the table in Boston, working with those folks, bringing back resources to Worcester," he said.

King's fellow City Councilor At-Large Donna Colorio is also running for mayor. Colorio has served on both the council and school committee. In the last two elections, Colorio has finished second in the mayor's race behind six-term incumbent Joe Petty. She was not available to speak with Spectrum News 1 for this story.

Petty, seeking a seventh term, said he wants to keep Worcester going on the right track.

"We have great momentum, people and developers are coming into the city, investing their money, because they see we have a good, cooperative, collaborative working group," Petty said. "Whether it be the colleges and universities, neighborhood groups, the nonprofits, the business community."

On top of housing, Petty points to mental health, the environment and the public schools as key issues he'd like to tackle if elected to another term.

"We got to make sure we get that Burncoat High School done, renovation of East Middle if possible," Petty said. "Two important issues."

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.