Seven people are in the running for a vacant Aberdeenshire Council seat in the Troup ward.
The local authority has announced the names of those standing in the by-election prompted by the death of long-serving Conservative member John Duncan.
Ann Bell (Liberal Democrat), Ross Cassie (SNP), Alan Duffill (Labour), Darren Duncan (Green), Iain Taylor (Conservative) and independents Philip Mitchell and Alan Still will contest the November 27 poll.
The winner will join existing councillors Mark Findlater (Independent) and Hamish Partridge (SNP) in representing the people of the Banff and Buchan ward which stretches from Rosehearty to Macduff.
Last night, Mr Findlater offered advice to the winner of the election.
He said: “It was really tough for myself, coming in, the learning curve was exponential.
“There’s an awful lot more to it than just going to community councils and area meetings.
“One of the main jobs is to represent your constituents and the groups in your area – to be a catalyst, an adviser to these things.
“Whoever is successful in the by-election, I’ll do my best to work with them to make Troup a better place to live and work”
Voting will take place between 7am and 10pm on November 27, at polling places throughout the ward.
The count will take place the following day at Macduff town hall.
The seat was held for 12 years by Mr Duncan until his death this September.
At the time of his passing, tributes were paid across the political spectrum for Mr Duncan who was described as a “gentleman” by his peers.
Council leader and fellow Conservative Jim Gifford said: “John was such a nice guy.
“He didn’t involve himself in all the nonsense behind politics. Even though John was in his 80s, there was nothing that was going to stop him.”
Aberdeenshire Provost Jill Webster meanwhile described him as a respected colleague.
The flag at Aberdeenshire Council’s Woodhill House headquarters, in Aberdeen, also flew at half-mast in Mr Duncan’s memory.