The campaign trail has started.
The deadline for anyone wanting to put themselves forward for next month's Colchester Council elections passed at noon today.
Three high-profile Liberal Democrats - former council leader Steve Cawley (Shrub End), and husband and wife team Jenny Stevens (New Town) and John Stevens (Berechurch) - were not on the list.
And 73-year-old Edna Fowler, Lib Dem councillor for Harbour ward since 1987, has also decided to stand down.
Well-known Labour councillor and former mayor Mary Frank, who represents St Anne's, has also decided not to go for re-election.
The Conservatives have fielded a range of new candidates and old hands in a bid to gain seats.
One third of the 60 borough councillor seats are up for grabs at the May 4 polls.
While the Lib Dems have the most seats - 25 out of 60 - there is no overall political control. Labour has 15 seats, Conservatives 18, Tiptree Residents' Association one and Indepedent one.
Current mayor Martin Hunt, a Liberal Democrat, is up for re-election to Prettygate ward and council leader Colin Sykes will be hoping to retain Stanway.
Tory Ian McCord has decided to stand against Mr Hunt, instead of for Stanway, where he is parish councillor and has stood before for a borough seat.
Greenstead St Andrew's councillor Bob Newman (Labour) has decided to seek election for Wivenhoe, after Tom Prosser stood down.
Just four names came from groups outside the big three parties.
Former mayor Tony Webb is up for re-election in Tiptree for Tiptree Residents' Association, newcomer Peter Farley hopes to take Harbour for Old Heath Residents' Association, Loretta Basker is standing for the Natural Law Party in Castle, and Helen Joyce Bunney was a last-minute entry as a Tiptree independent resident.
Liberal Democrat Craig Sutton enters the fray for the first time, proving politics runs in the family - his father councillor Terry Sutton is Colchester Council's transport and environment chief.
No sitting councillor as Labour's Mary Frank has stood down.