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For candidates who have more than once vied for public office in Frederick — and lost — it's not about the thrill of the chase, but the service that comes with winning the seat.

In addition to the incumbents, three other candidates in this year's City of Frederick municipal elections — two for mayor, one for alderman — have vied for residents' votes before.

While they say they take previous losses as lessons and try to turn them into successes, they all admit that voters may be wondering why they keep coming back for more.

Former Mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty (D) is perhaps the most well-known repeat name to appear on the ballot. She has appeared on two city ballots and one state ballot in the last seven years.

Frederick's first female mayor, who served from 2002 to 2006, lost her re-election bid to Ron Young in the Democratic primary election in 2005. She bounced back with a win in the 2008 Democratic primary in the race to represent District 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives. But she ultimately lost to U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R) in the general election.

Dougherty said that it wasn't what she lost in the congressional race that motivated her to try and reclaim her seat in this year's election, it was what she won — a near 2 to1 margin over Andrew Duck in the city precincts during the Democratic primary.

"Winning and losing isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person," Dougherty said. "Not trying at all is the thing what my psyche can't do. I want to keep trying as long as I think I have good ideas, and as long as I have the energy to do it."

Dougherty said she knows that the baggage she carries from her previous administration could bog voters down more than seeing her name again, but if she loses again, she'll be able to look back and improve on her shortcomings.

"I understand that I have to improve my style, and I'm really trying to do that," Dougherty said. "People say, "She knows her stuff, but she's too tough. I don't want to lose the ‘stuff,' but I will try to smile more."

Randy McClement — known as the "nice guy who owns the bagel shop" — is making his second bid for public office this year, running as a Republican candidate for mayor. McClement ran for alderman in 2005, and lost in the general election.

McClement said that he learned from his loss four years ago that he needed to reach out to more than just the constituents who enjoy eating at his downtown deli. But, his mission and his motivations of civic duty have not changed.

"The same reasons I ran the first time are the same reasons I'm running again," McClement said. "You do think about how many times you can run before people think you're running just to run. But I run for a reason, not an office."

Bill Ashton (R) joined the Republican aldermanic race for the third time this year and said that he had considered shutting down his public office pursuit after his last loss in 2001.

"You thought you did everything right the other time," Ashton said. "In 2001, I said I wouldn't, but that's eight years ago, and things have changed."

Ashton also ran unsuccessfully in 1997, but as a fixture at City Hall meetings for decades, he said that he wasn't ready to put away his knowledge built up over 50 years living in the city, to help other residents.

"I've still been involved as an activist, I've still not gotten away from it, it's still in my blood, and I thought it was time to give it another go," he said.

E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.