Consultants brought in to help city campaigns

If city candidates seem a little more polished this year, it's not by accident.

Candidates and operatives say a highly educated, independent voting population has spawned the most professionally run campaigns in the city's history.

That trend is also driven by a Republican ascending to the Governor's Mansion and an effort to make more gains on a "blue island" in the county.

"There is a lot of outside interest in the municipal city elections because of 2006," said Kathy Nieberding, Annapolis Democratic Mayor Ellen O. Moyer's campaign manager. "Annapolis is a critical area for the State House and all of the state...