Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Councilman Mike Williams, his leading challenger, were feeling confident going into the final days before Tuesday’s primary election.“I feel very good,” Plusquellic said in a phone interview late last week.“We feel good,” Williams said at an event last week, referring to his campaign.The two Democratic candidates and their supporters campaigned hard over the past several months — distributing yard signs, attending events, raising money, sending mailers, making phone calls, airing commercials and posting information on websites and social networks. The rivals are now making one last push — to make sure their supporters follow through in a primary expected to have a higher-than-normal turnout.“The real key is to get the people who support them to the polls and who does the best job of that,” said Steve Brooks, associate director of the University of Akron’s Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.Plusquellic faces competition from Williams and Janice Davis, a political newcomer who waged a grass-roots campaign with little money. On the Republican side, attorney Jennifer Hensal is facing off against Katie Marie Wilkins.Plusquellic campaignThe Plusquellic supporters who gathered at his headquarters after work Wednesday to call voters all have a stake in his re-election.If Plusquellic, Akron’s longest-serving mayor, loses, they could be out of a job.The cabinet members and assistant law directors worked off long calling lists, dialing voters to remind them about the election.“The mayor’s working really hard for Akron and would really appreciate your support,” Assistant Law Director Janet Ciotola, said in a message left for a voter.Bob Bowman, deputy mayor of economic development, was getting a mixed response in his calls — supportive of the mayor, undecided and or just cranky about being bothered.He said he’s happy to do his part.“I think this is a very serious election,” Bowman said. “It will determine the future of Akron and what direction it takes.”Not all of Plusquellic’s approximately 200 volunteers are on the city’s payroll.They include people like Greg Burke, an Akron real estate agent who grew up in Kenmore and has known Plusquellic since they were young boys. He has helped with past campaigns but stepped up his involvement this year.“I really believe strongly in what he has done,” Burke said. “I don’t know that Akron would have survived without him, quite frankly. We would have been similar to what other Rust Belt cities have become.”The campaign divided Saturday between a literature drop and another round of phone calls and will make more calls Monday. On Election Day, the campaign is encouraging volunteers to take the day off and give rides to the polls, make phone calls or greet voters outside the busiest polling places.“You get anxious as it gets closer and closer,” said Gert Wilms, Plusquellic’s campaign manager. “Did we do everything we needed to? At this point, I don’t know what we could change.”Plusquellic thinks he and his volunteers have done all they could, unlike in 2007, when former Akron Councilman Joe Finley came within about 1,000 votes of winning the Democratic primary.“I’ve worked hard,” Plusquellic said. “I think anybody who looked at this would say I did not take it for granted.” Williams campaignWilliams invited his supporters to cast early ballots with him Wednesday, drawing about 80 people to the Summit County Board of Elections.Afterward, the longtime councilman offered lunch at his campaign headquarters to thank his volunteers and celebrate his 26th wedding anniversary to Judge Annalisa Williams. He urged his volunteers to help with last-minute, get-out-the vote efforts.“It would be a shame if we won the hearts and minds of everybody, but did not get them out to the polls to vote,” he told the group of about 50 supporters who sat at tables decorated with yellow-and-black “I Like Mike” balloons.Williams’ campaign planned to go door to door in targeted areas and call voters Saturday, then hold a rally that evening. Volunteers posted signs reminding people to vote and asked church officials to mention Election Day during services today.On Election Day, some of the campaign’s approximately 100 volunteers will give rides to the polls, while others will be at polling places, greeting voters and monitoring turnout.“If it’s not looking like we want, we will call directly to those areas,” said Tara Samples, Williams’ co-campaign manager.The Rev. John Beaty, one of Williams’ supporters, is organizing volunteers who will wave Williams signs at 16 busy intersections on Election Day.Beaty, a retired Methodist minister who is involved with a group critical of Plusquellic’s handling of police issues, said he’s supporting Williams because “his leadership style lends itself to inclusiveness instead of exclusiveness.” He said Williams leads more of a “Jesus lifestyle” than Plusquellic.“Those on the margins — he sees those are valuable people, too,” Beaty said. “I don’t know of anyone he’s not willing to talk to.”Retired Akron police officer Robert Culver, who attended Williams’ anniversary party, has been friends with Williams and his family for a long time. He thinks Akron needs to go in a different direction, and Williams is the one to take it there.“I believe in his ideas,” Culver said.Other candidatesDavis and Hensal also will be jockeying for votes in the countdown to the primary.Davis planned to go door to door over the weekend, hitting blighted areas on the east and south sides.“I call on people who have been forgotten,” she said.Davis has been attending church services and making phone calls. Some of her younger supporters have been posting on Facebook and Twitter.Hensal met with volunteers Thursday night and put together a game plan for the weekend. The campaign made phone calls, passed out literature and attended the University of Akron Zips game Saturday.Hensal and the other candidates planned to tone down the campaigning today because it’s a religious day for many and to respect the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.“I try not to bother people,” Hensal said.Wilkins has not returned repeated interview requests from the Beacon Journal.Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.