Far North mayor John Carter will not say if he was surprised to find himself a candidate, not a shoo-in, this time round.
He might have almost sleep-walked to victory unopposed, until rival Peter Gill threw his name into the ring at the last minute. (Mr Gill has accused the current council of being somewhat somnolent; his own slogan is Awake at the Wheel.)
Asked if he saw the challenge as serious, Mr Carter responded: "Look, I always take it seriously. "I'm out campaigning, patting babies and kissing their mothers, as I always do.
If there were no competitors, of course I wouldn't have to campaign, but I'm working as hard as I ever have to win re-election."
It would, he said, be disrespectful to the voters and the other candidate not to do so. If re-elected, he wants to push on with work already put in train by the current council that would bring tangible benefits and outcomes.