The slew of contested races on Concord ballots was a welcome change for city voters.

“People are looking for a change,” said 41-year-old Rahkiya Medley. “It shows they are engaged and want to make a difference.”

Medley values a transparent government that applies rules fairly to all citizens. She wants elected leaders who are genuinely concerned about rising taxes and dedicated to creating affordable housing available to younger working families.

“I want to see them make decisions without being afraid to speak up in support of specific things,” Medley said. “I would also like to see an understanding that this city is changing, the demographics are changing, and we need representation that supports that.”

When Journee and Steven LaFond moved to the city three years ago, Concord felt like a sleepy city, they said. Now, it feels like it has more action.

“These contested races show that the city is more awake and that change is possible,” said Journee LaFond, 36.

She said she’d like to see less separation between the Heights and the downtown areas of the city.

“I think millennials and Gen Z are realizing how integral their voices can be to local government,” Journee said. “We’re more aware of the polarization that exists in this potential sphere and it’s very impactful, especially right now.”

Calls for greater diversity and equity in city government were echoed by voters throughout the day Tuesday. Most agreed that homelessness, affordable housing, transportation, and economic development should be top priorities for the new faces of the city and the school district.

The number of contested races, voters said, shows that people in the city want to be involved and want to foster healthy change.

“It’s healthy that we have so many contested races because it shows that people are engaged,” said Robert Maccini, 72, of Ward 5. “There is strength in the diversity of opinions and we need younger people in office, both at the local, state and national levels.”

With competitive races for mayor, school board, two at-large seats on the city council, and eight out of 10 city ward seats, the potential for new blood in top election positions was evident on the ballots.

“This many candidates is a sign of more people being involved and many of the candidates share the same viewpoints,” said Gerri King, 81, of Ward 5. “I am pleased so many great people are running and it’s great to have to think about who I am voting for.”

King has been politically active for most of her life alongside her husband, Ron, 82, who sits on the city’s design review committee.

Kelsy Broadaway, who has lived in Concord for about a year, said it was hard to understand the differences between candidates’ actual platforms. Take the homelessness problem, for example, she said. Multiple candidates said they wanted to address it, but they lacked specific solutions.

“That can be anywhere from we want to kick the homeless people out of the town and be cruel, up to some really thoughtful approaches. Most people aren’t going to put details on their websites because they don’t want to be controversial.

Eric Feldbaun has lived in Concord for 12 years. He said people are tired of the same old people ho

“People are seeing it’s time for change, for new blood, for new vision,” he said. “Demographics are becoming younger and we need to focus on that population.”

Voters went to the polls in local elections Tuesday in other New Hampshire cities, including Nashua, Manchester, Laconia Dover, Claremont, Rochester, Somersworth and Berlin.