The people living in the Nansemond borough will have a choice that is seemingly everywhere this election season: youth versus experience.

Three-time Councilman for the borough, Leroy Bennett, is going up against newcomer Trisha James.

Bennett says he is grateful for the experience he has had on the Council, and still sees work he can accomplish and wants to accomplish it for the people in the Nansemond borough.

“I would like to thank all the people for allowing me to serve them for the past 12 years, Bennett said. “I will continue to serve them and be there for them and be a voice for them and be a voice for their concerns and issues.”

Specifically, Bennett says he wants his work to bring more economic development to the city, try and bring the tax rate lower and get more affordable housing into the area through future partnerships much like the one with Habitat for Humanity that brought 16 new houses to Huntersville this summer.

“It’s very passionate for me because of the number of lives it touched,” he said. “I have met with those families quite a few times and they are happier…it turned the whole community around, and I think we can work with private developers and with Habitat and the Housing Authority to do more of that type of thing in these older communities.”

Bennett says he is relying on his past work ethic and reputation for voters.

“I have really been a voice for the people,” he said. “I will sit and listen to them and try to vote to represent them with their concerns…I would continue to do that.”

James is searching for her first term on the Council. James works in town as an insurance agent and serves on the Board of Directors of the Suffolk chapter of the American Red Cross.

In a recent candidate forum, James said the city should look at future economic crunches with the same outlook of citizens facing a budget at home, making cuts where they can to make the numbers work.

James did not return calls prior to the News-Herald deadline.

For more information on the candidates, log onto www.suffolknewsherald.com and click the Election ‘08 link.