HAVERHILL — When Assistant City Clerk Rick Barber was predicting the voter turnout on election eve he settled on 25 percent.
It was based on the number of absentee ballots requested from his office, as well as his instincts about the hotly contested mayor's race and interest in the 12 first-time candidates for City Council and School Committee.
But Barber was wrong. The interest was even greater than expected, as 30 percent of the city's 42,000 registered voters — or 12,453 people — went to the polls.
Normal participation in a local election in Haverhill is 20 percent to 25 percent, Barber said.
Barber said the vigorous fight between Mayor James Fiorentini and his challenger, former City Council President John Michitson, brought many voters to the polls.
"There was also a strong interest in change," Barber said.
Indeed, in January there will be three new city councilors — Michael Young, Colin LePage and Sven Amirian. There also will be two new School Committee members — Paul Magliocchetti and Ray Sierpina.
Yesterday's election also was a test for Barber. A year and a half ago, he was appointed assistant city clerk. Then, a few weeks ago, City Clerk Peggy Toomey was injured in a fall at home, rendering her unable to supervise the election.
The task fell to Barber, who had to run an election for the first time. Thanks to an experienced staff and Board of Registrars of Voters, the job got done, he said.
"It's a lot of hard work by a lot of people," he said.
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