Boston Mayoral Candidates Make Final Push Ahead Of Election

Boston's mayoral candidates are preparing their final pushes ahead of Tuesday's preliminary election.

All four candidates are making public visits to meet with voters, calling some undecided voters personally and making sure their campaign organizers are ready to hit the polls.

In the final hours, change was the operative word among the three challengers to incumbent Thomas Menino --  City Councilors Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon, and South End contractor Kevin McCrea.

McCrea said there has been a surge in interest from voters hungry for new leadership. "People are really paying attention because they're really concerned and so they read, they compare the candidates' web sites," he said.

Councilor Flaherty said he was cautiously optimistic he would make it into the top two on Tuesday.

"Anything is possible," Flaherty said. "I know that we've done the work, and now it's up to the voters of Boston to decide who they think is best suited to lead Boston into the future."

Councilor Yoon reiterated the call for a change in leadership and pushed for term limits for the mayor.

"We've operated the same way for a hundred years, giving all the power to a single person in the mayor's office, and that's just not a 21st-century way to run government anymore," Yoon said.

Mayor Menino did not return calls for comment.

Tuesday's election will narrow the field down to two mayoral candidates, who will face a run-off election in November.

Boston voters will also choose city councilors and among 15 candidates for city councilor-at-large. On that ballot, voters can choose four candidates. The top eight will face an election on Nov. 3, as well.