Beasworrick collected the necessary 50 signatures to file nomination papers and delivered them to San Jose City Clerk Pat O'Hearn, ensuring a place for his name on the March 2, 2004, ballot next to Yeager's.

"I'm officially on the ballot. Now things begin in earnest," said Beasworrick. "Campaigning is a job," he said, adding that talking to district constituents has been "eye-opening."

Yeager, who ran against five other candidates in 2000 primary, defeated Kris Cunningham with 54 percent of the vote in the run-off election.

"I am looking forward to continuing to serve all of the constituents of Council District 6," Yeager said on Dec. 5. "We have focused very much on constituent services, and if reelected I will continue to do that."

"I've started a number of big projects and would like to complete them in my second term," Yeager continued. "We want to extend the Los Gatos Creek Trail and Guadalupe Creek Trail, complete the renovations of the Municipal Rose Garden, rebuild the Rosegarden Library and Willow Glen Library and build a new Westside Library on Bascom. I want to build a new community center on Fruitdale, and continue to enhance the business districts in the area, West San Carlos, The Alameda and Lincoln Avenue."

Beasworrick said he is open to all opinions so he can "weigh the pros and cons" before taking sides. And he noted that "the community takes precedence over the individual."

"My biggest emphasis is on preservation of the neighborhood and getting jobs back in San Jose," Beasworrick said, adding that his focus is to bring more businesses to Lincoln Avenue, increase street cleaning and implement greater traffic-calming measures in neighborhoods.

Commenting on Yeager, Beasworrick said, "My opponent's a popular guy. But I'm going to try my very best, work hard and see how the people vote. I'm just as anxious as anyone to find out how it turns out."

District 6 includes more than 90,000 residents who live in Rose Garden, Shasta/Hanchett, Willow Glen, Sherman Oaks, Cory, Canoas Gardens, Hamann Park and Buena Vista neighborhoods.

Gregory Watkins contributed to this report.