Municipal elections generally aren’t glamorous affairs. This year is no exception — races in Atlanta, New York and Boston have gone on without much fanfare. But nevertheless these elections reflect a reactionary trend in American politics — and demand our attention. Whereas 2008 was a change year, 2009 looks to be the year of the same — or the past. And if it is, it may very well be an open question as to which trend will dominate over the next several years.

In Atlanta, for instance, voters likely will elect the city’s first white mayor in recent memory — and the city’s first white female mayor ever. Buckhead Republican City Councilor Mary Norwood is positioned to benefit from backlash against City Hall and divided and disorganized Democratic opposition led by State Sen. Kasim Reed and City Council President Lisa Borders. Though still popular, outgoing Mayor Shirley Franklin has not gotten behind either Reed or Borders. A Norwood win would signify strong reactionary tendencies and changing demographics in the city of Atlanta.

New York seems poised to return Michael Bloomberg for a third term. Bloomberg, enabled to run by a repeal of the city’s mayoral term limits, is precisely the liberal quasi-Republican technocrat the city has been in love with since the days of LaGuardia and Lindsay. Democratic City Comptroller William Thompson opposes Bloomberg; he might as well be tilting at windmills. Despite the support of President Obama, Thompson’s change-based critique of Bloomberg’s solid but undistinguished record has failed to take hold among the city’s progressive majority. New Yorkers appear ready to affirm the same old city politics.

In my hometown of Boston, our affable Mayor Tom “Mumbles” Menino is fighting for his right to an unprecedented fifth term. Though unable to speak intelligible English — even by the admitted low standards of my fair city — Menino has governed fairly effectively. This year, however, Menino faces his toughest opposition yet, in the form of his former protégé, City Councilor Michael Flaherty. Flaherty is an unlikely “change” candidate. Unlike Menino, he has the conventional Bostonian political background — Irish Catholic, Boston College education, union backing and a South Boston residence.

But Flaherty has been a progressive voice on social issues, reinvesting in the city and improving the way the city does business — including finally bringing voice mail to City Hall. Additionally, Flaherty was a strong Obama backer in the primaries, in contrast to Menino, who supported Hillary Clinton. One would think that liberal Boston would be all for some change after 16 years of the same.

Still, Menino most likely will hold on — recent polls give him a strong lead over Flaherty. Menino, according to a Boston Globe survey, has met over 60 percent of all Bostonians, after all. Menino will likely kill Flaherty’s momentum at the polls.

All three of these — traditionally — Democratic cities are demonstrating a conservative tendency that should give progressives some pause as they begin considering 2010. All the candidates likely to win will do so without explicit White House support, while Obama supporters and those endorsed by him will lose.

The three likely winners campaigned as moderate technocrats, promising simply to keep the city running as it had in the past. Competence matters in government.

Democrats need to deliver on the change they promised in 2008 or else it undermines their ability to argue that they know how to govern. With wide majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats may deserve harsh public judgment if they fail to deliver on their promises. After all, following through on campaign pledges is why officials like Mayor Mumbles keep their jobs year after year — and the most eloquent find themselves out of work.

Adam McCall is a College sophomore from Acton, Mass. He is the speaker of the Student Government Association.