Final Push for Baltimore's Highest Seat

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Former Mayor Sheila Dixon is pressing ahead with a write-in campaign as democratic nominee Catherine Pugh tries to fend her off.

With an overwhelming number of Democrats in the city, normally the mayor's race is all but decided by now. That is not the case this year.

With hours until election day a final push is being made to win voters.

"It's been a marathon. But we're now down to the sprint," said senator and democratic nominee, Catherine Pugh.

"We're on the phone making calls to our volunteers, making sure we have all the polls covered," said former Mayor Sheila Dixon.

Dixon is trying to make history as the first write-in candidate to win the Baltimore mayor's seat.

"I know day one I can hit the ground running. This is not a learning curve for me," said Dixon.

While state Senator Catherine Pugh hopes to continue the nearly 50 year winning tradition of the democratic nominee.

"Anybody who is running is competition and she's [Dixon] not the only person in this race," said Pugh.

Dixon launched a write-in campaign after narrowly losing the primary to Pugh.

But the primary election results were called into question after the State Board of Elections conducted a review of voter irregularities.

In the end, 2,400 votes separated the two. Both are confident going into election day.

"I'm looking forward to people electing me as the next mayor," said Pugh.

"I will be a phenomenal mayor as I have been in the past, but even better," said Dixon

Now the voters will decide.

While the campaigns continue, many people have already made their decision. More than 70,000 people in the City voted early.

Republican Alan Walden and Green Party candidate Joshua Harris both hope to challenge the front-runners .

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