Any time now, the signs should come down.

On the national level, pundits sought to rationalize their misreading of Trump’s popularity as the standard bearer of change by calling this an election that will go down in the history books, an anomaly. Indeed, this has been a bumpy ride with the polls swinging one way and the next, yet through it all a huge percentage of the electorate saying they preferred neither candidate.

That frustration did not filter down to local candidates, as was feared in the wake of Bernie Sanders’ win in the Rhode Island presidential primary and losses incumbents faced in the September primary.

In Warwick, as surely elsewhere where incumbents keep winning, there was an element of the sentiment that “it’s time for a change.” But change for change didn’t rule the day here.

Mayor Scott Avedisian handily fended off a committed challenge by Democrat Richard Corrente, winning, as he pointed out on election night, every polling place in the city. While this sounded like a boast from mayor who typically refrains from self-aggrandizement, Avedisian put the spotlight on fellow city workers who he commended for their service to the residents of Warwick. He also talked about those who perpetually find fault with the city, concluding, “Being positive about the future always trumps out being negative.”

During his campaign, Avedisian promised to carry on the initiatives he started, in particular, City Centre as the focus for new development and Warwick’s future downtown. As we know, getting the project from the drawing boards to bricks and mortar will take significant private investments, decisions that will be based on the economy as well as the state and city’s financial viability. Tax stabilization agreements (TSA) promise to make development more attractive, however, that is not a silver bullet. The mayor has his work cut out for him.

Tuesday’s vote is an endorsement of that vision and a mandate that hopefully brings Warwick closer to that goal.

Tuesday’s vote is also an affirmation that Warwick voters listen to what their hometown candidates say and vote for those who they feel can best represent their interests and the community.