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ATTLEBORO - The only thing certain about today's city election is there will be at least three new city councilors and one new school board member at the end of the day.

Vacancies guarantee the new faces on an election day that's expected to see fewer than the usual number of voters because of the lack of a contest for mayor, which traditionally drives turnout.

Turnout could be as low as 18 percent, said Maryann Draine, election office administrator. In 2007, the turnout was 28 percent.

Mayor Kevin Dumas is completing his third term and has no opposition.

There are also no contests for clerk, collector or treasurer. Conventional wisdom dictates that low turnouts favor incumbents, so it could be a big day for them. Nonetheless, a hard working newcomer who gets his or her supporters to the polls could push an incumbent out the door if he or she takes the job for granted.

In the at-large council race, one of two newcomers, Richard Conti or Mark Cooper will take the seat given up by state Rep. Bill Bowles D-Attleboro.

If there's dissatisfaction with any of the other four incumbents, Kim Allard, Peter Blais, Brian Kirby or Walter Thibodeau, or if the newcomers really push their supporters to the polls, both could grab a seat.

Meanwhile, in Ward 1, Cherie Felos, a mother of five and a former marathon runner who got a law degree last year from Brigham Young University, is battling it out with fellow rookie candidate Joe Lazzerini, a senior at Attleboro High School, who takes courses at Bristol Community College and is a member of the Army Reserve.

Current Ward 1 Councilor Michael Sullivan chose not to run again.

And in Ward 5, Duff White, who runs a handyman business and is promising the "best constituent services ever," is facing off against former Ward 5 Councilor John Davis who touts his political and business experience as a reason for voters to send him back to his former seat.

Current Ward 5 Councilor Jerry Chase was defeated in a three-person preliminary election in September.

The other four ward councilors are running unopposed.

In the contest for the three at-large school committee seats, incumbents Helen Johnson and Robbie Wuilleumier will be trying to fight off challenges from Ray DiCiaccio and Teri Enegen.

At least one of the challengers will be elected because of the vacancy left by Frank D'Agostino, who chose not to seek re-election. In Ward 1, incumbent Melissa Cook is being challenged by George Lukin; in Ward 2, incumbent Shawn Moran is facing James Stors; in Ward 4, Jackie Romaniecki is being challenged by Brenda Furtado; in Ward 5, Fran Zito is being challenged by David Sidman; and in Ward 6, Michael Tyler is taking on former school board member Bruce Levine.

Ward 3 is uncontested.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.