the mayor of sheboygan, wisconsin, a man named bob ryan, has apologized after he was caught on a cell phone. >> reporter: last summer city council detractors began efforts to throw him out of office. then a citizens group gathered enough signatures to force next tuesday's recall election. in order to, in the group's words, preserve the integrity of the mayor's office. >> my problems with alcohol have never interfered with my office. i've never missed a day of work. i've never come into the office intoxicated. >> reporter: it's a judgment voters are making. >> mayor ryan is an embarrassment to the city, but i think he's done a good job. >> there are worse things going on than somebody getting drunk. >> if it had happened just once, it may have been okay. but it happened repeatedly. >> reporter: the contest has drawn a crowded field of seven challengesers including the politician ryan defeated in 2009, a restaurant bus boy, and a musician. perhaps the most unusual candidate is high school senior asher heimerman who is just 18 years old. >> it will be the first time i will be voting. >>