Next Tuesday marks a special election in Haymarket pitting appointed town council member Sterling Brinson against former council member David Leake.

The two are competing to complete the term of Susan Edwards, who resigned from her post in protest last year. The town council voted to appoint Brinson in December to stay on the council as an interim place-holder until a special election could be held. In-person voting is set to take place at PACE West Elementary School on March 8.

None of the current council members or the mayor reached for comment offered to make an endorsement in the race that is shaping up to be a low turnout affair. That list includes Mayor Pamela Stutz, vice mayor John Cole and council members Bob Weir and Jay Tobias. The lack of endorsements comes as a bit of a surprise.

Stutz endorsed Leake along with Cole, Edwards, Milt Kenworthy and Mary Lou Scarbrough during the general election in May 2010, only leaving out the incumbent Weir. Leake ended up losing the sixth and final council seat by four votes behind Weir's preferred candidate, Jay Tobias, who previously served from 2004-2006.

The mayor explained her decision in part by saying she does not know Brinson well enough to judge him. Weir, who is running in the GOP primary for Board of County Supervisors chairman against incumbent Corey Stewart (R), said, "No comment" when asked for his choice.

"I think they need to win it on their own and they need to go out and prove to the residents of the town why they should elected on their own merits," said Tobias.

Cole used humor to explain his thought process.

"We only got two people running and I like them both, so I would endorse both," he said with a laugh, noting Leake has "experience" while Brinson has "some great ideas."

"So, I think it's kind of a win-win for Haymarket so I would just encourage people to get out there in Haymarket and vote," said Cole, who said that he has made up his mind for whom he will vote but wants to keep his decision private.

Despite Brinson's incumbency, Leake would be considered the favorite simply based on name recognition from his two years on the board and as president of the Greenhill Crossing homeowners association, which is where Brinson also lives. Leake also served as the council's liaison to the town planning commission during his two-year tenure.

Attempts to contact both candidates by phone were unsuccessful. However, both have voting records.

Leake strongly supported commercial developer Gerry Kennedy's $2.3 million plan to purchase the Town Center property and turn it into a series of small businesses. Leake opposed any proposals to demolish the dilapidated "Red Rooster" or "Blue House" (which is also commonly referred to as the "Gray House"). He also supported bringing a trolley to town and voted in favor of the town's budget both years on the board.

The only of Brinson's recorded votes available on the town's Web site are for the months of December and January. The main vote that stood out for Brinson was when he joined Weir, Kenworthy and Tobias in January in supporting a resolution to direct staff "to complete a demolition permit application" for the historic yet delapidated so-called Gray House on the Town Center property. Cole voted against it and Scarbrough abstained. That would put him at odds with Leake.

According to the minutes, Brinson had "talked to residents" and said that "they would not like to see a parking lot there instead of a building." Brinson missed the continuation meeting on Jan. 24.

In December, Brinson was the lone council member to vote against appropriating $977.13 to purchase the newest version of the accounting software QuickBooks. He also joined Cole in voting against adding the disposition of the Gray House to the December agenda while Tobias, Weir and Kenworthy supported doing so.

Brinson voted in harmony with the rest of the present council members on all other votes in December in January.

Leake and Brinson also have different governing styles, according to the mayor and three council members interviewed on Monday. Leake spoke only occasionally during his time on council while Brinson is more vocal. Leake's signature item was the trolley while Brinson has advocated for a youth community center to come to town.

"David is a very quiet individual. He has a definite desire to see the town move ahead," said Stutz, though she added he "doesn't give a real strong voice" to council meetings.

"He's a very good candidate," she said.

She described Brinson as still figuring out his role on council while also pushing for better communication between the town government and residents.

"I do believe that he feels that our board is a little bit, we seem a little disorganized to him. He seems like a really good (organizer)," said Stutz.

Weir said Brinson made the "effort to talk to me on a couple of things," which is different from Leake, with whom Weir clashed during their time on council.

According to Cole, "David's quiet but he thinks through all the decisions that have to be made. Sterling is still relatively new, so he's figuring it out. Basically, he's getting the history of all these decisions and where we are. But Sterling is definitely a pro-active guy."

Leake "shared the vision we had for the walking town, for the downtown center, and he was working hard when the Kennedy deal with still viable," Cole added.

The vice-mayor concluded that, "I think we can work with both of them. They are of different styles."