Residents will have a chance to meet mayoral and council candidates this Friday at the city’s community center.

A total of nine candidates are expected to participate in the event.

In the mayor’s race, Councilwoman Jennifer Ator, a civil attorney who owns a law practice in Miami Springs and has served two terms, is running against incumbent Zavier Garcia, a media company owner and the city’s first Hispanic mayor.

Council candidates are vying for four separate seats.

Group 1 candidates include:

• Néstor Suárez, a retail business executive who is making his first run for office;

• Michael Windrem, a real-estate agent who ran unsuccessfully in 2007;

• Helen Lawrence, a retired librarian who ran unsuccessfully in 2011;

• Alexander Anthony, an insurance salesman who is running for the first time;

• and Miguel Becerra, a landscaper who is running for the first time.

The Group 1 seat was vacated by Bob Best, who served in his post for eight years.

In Group 2, former mayor Billy Bain is seeking the seat vacated by his wife, Grace.

Grace Bain, a former city council candidate, filled the seat vacated by Councilman Dan Espino, who abruptly resigned in 2012 to run for a Miami-Dade School Board seat.

In Group 3, computer programmer George Lob, who was elected to the council in 2009, is seeking a third term.

In Group 4, middle school teacher Jaime Petralanda, who ran unsuccessfully in 2011, is running against elementary school teacher Constantino Hernández, a first-time candidate.

The Miami Springs election will be held on Tuesday, April 2, at the city’s golf course.