Former long-standing Port Stephens mayor Bruce MacKenzie has decided against re-entering the political fray.
Mr MacKenzie, who clocked up 42 years as a councillor and mayor, said he weighed up the decision carefully.
"I was pulled up at Woolworths just last week by a couple who asked me to run," he said.
"I have given Port Stephens 42 years of my life, it's not going to be repeated. I had lot of good years there but I'm 86 and I would be 90 when the term ends."
Mr MacKenzie has thrown his support behind former councillor and deputy mayor Paul Le Mottee's mayoral bid.
"He's been on the council before, he's a businessman and he has experience in a wide range of fields," Mr MacKenzie said.
"I'll also be supporting a few other people who will at this point in time will remain nameless."
Mr Le Mottee cited opposing offshore wind turbines and addressing the housing crisis in Port Stephens among his priorities.
"The community of Port Stephens is clearly opposed to it (offshore wind). Those that live out there (near the water) are opposed to the impact that it will have on whales and the visual amenity," he said.
"But there's also quite a few fishermen in the western part of the LGA. As word is starting to spread of the amount of ocean that is going to be restricted, the level of opposition is growing."
Mr Le Mottee said the council needed to do more to facilitate more housing, primarily by working with the private sector.
"They (the councillors) have got a mindset that seems to be that only things like tiny homes and government-funded housing is the answer," he said.
"They still haven't come around to the idea that the private sector is the only sector geared up and able to really do something in short order to relieve some pressure on the housing shortage."
He said the large number of planning and environmental restrictions across the LGA need not prevent housing growth.
"The main reason why people won't come here is they find the council is just too difficult to deal with," he said.
"I'm constantly told that by builders and developers that would otherwise consider working here in the unconstrained areas."
East ward councillor and Labor's mayoral candidate Leah Anderson said she had a track record for delivering for the people of Port Stephens.
"I know I am the only proven candidate who cares about fixing our roads, delivering infrastructure, supporting sustainable development and tackling the housing crisis in a sustainable way," she said.
Mr Le Mottee, who runs a surveying, town planning and civil engineering business, was first elected as a west ward councillor in 2012.
He was prevented from running in the 2021 election due to an NSW Electoral Commission clerical error.
"I went and saw not one barrister but two. They both said it was an open-and-shut case," he said.
"Had I taken them to court I would have won hands down.
"The only problem is, the way the electoral act works is you have to let the election happen and then contest the result, which I would have won but that would have forced another election.
"I wasn't prepared to do that."
The Liberal Party has endorsed small business operator Nathan Errington as its east ward candidate for the September 14 election.
Mr Errington has served as the president of Hamilton Business Chamber and on the board of Newcastle Hunter Rugby League.
"I love the Port Stephens community," Mr Errington said. "I've grown up here, I've seen how our community has grown and changed. I know we need to enable small businesses and help our tourism industry to thrive."
Mr Errington said upgrading community sporting facilities and public amenities would be a key priority if elected.
"Council needs to ensure key facilities receive the upgrades they need. The demand for female change room and sports facilities is growing fast," Mr Errington said.
"Council needs to keep up with this growing demand and enable our up and coming athletes to reach their full potential."
