Incumbent Gary Kircher will face Oamaru Harbour advocate Katrina Hazelhurst and Otago Field Days chairman Paul Mutch for the Waitaki mayoralty.
Last time, Mr Kircher breezed into his second term with a decisive win over his lone challenger, Stephen Wesselingh.
The harbour, and Oamaru's central business district, Oamaru Hospital and a proposed Waitaki Whitestone Geopark have emerged as major issues.
The contest for Waitaki District Council's Oamaru ward is more intense.
Four incumbents are seeking to reclaim their seats and 10 others have been nominated - the 14 candidates will vie for six seats.
The recently expanded Ahuriri ward will elect former Queenstown Lakes district councillor Ross McRobie unopposed.
However, the Ahuriri Community Board attracted only four candidates, one short of the five required.
The Waihemo ward, on the other hand, will be hotly contested.
Three candidates, including incumbent Jan Wheeler, want the council seat. Mr Wesselingh and Peter Newton will challenge her.
The Waihemo Community Board race has seven candidates seeking the five board seats.
The Oamaru Licensing Trust, which promoted a controversial proposal for a multimillion-dollar floating luxury hotel in Oamaru Harbour last year, has eight candidates, including all five incumbents.
