Each council member interviewed said they either won’t publicly disclose who they are voting for or have not yet decided.

East Lansing employs what is called a “council-manager” form of government.

The mayor sets the agenda with the city manager and is able to put the city in a state of emergency, but besides that, the role is largely ceremonial.

“The mayor doesn’t have a veto or run city government,” City Manager George Lahanas said.

During an Oct. 31 meeting with the editorial board of The State News, councilmember-elect Susan Woods said she wouldn’t endorse anyone until she conducted more research.

She said that several qualities current Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Triplett possesses could be an asset for the mayor’s seat.

She did not return calls for comment from The State News Monday afternoon.

“I know that Nathan Triplett is Mayor Pro Tem, he has been on city council for a long time, he is very involved, but I would have to do my homework,” she said during the editorial board meeting.

Current Mayor Diane Goddeeris, who has been on the council the longest of any other current member, said she wouldn’t comment until she had spoken to every council member.

Goddeeris declined to say whether she would pursue the position again.

“All of the council members are talking to each other, and I don’t want to comment to the media until I’ve spoken to all the council members,” she said.

Kathleen Boyle, who was appointed in 2012 and was reelected last week to finish a partial city council term, agreed with Goddeeris and said a conversation with her fellow council members is needed before she can reach a decision.

Triplett, who was first elected to the council in 2007 and was named Mayor Pro Tem after his 2011 reelection, was equally quiet on the issue.

“I think it is too early to have that conversation,” Triplett said after the last council meeting. “For the new council members, this is a lot like drinking out of a fire hose — there is a lot of information they have to absorb pretty quickly — so I’m going to reserve comment until they have had the opportunity to get grounded.”

Councilmember-elect Ruth Beier said during the discussion with the State News editorial board that she believed she would make a good mayor, but has since backed off.

“I won’t be nominating or voting for myself,” she said. “I don’t think I have the experience.”

Beier also expressed disdain for having to decide on the mayor position so early.

“It’s in the city charter, so there’s nothing we can do about it, but I think it is ridiculous to vote among the five council members without having one meeting,” she said.