Queensland has Australia's two biggest local councils, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with a total of 3.5 million voters statewide expected to cast their ballots on Saturday.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is seeking re-election against Labor's Tracey Price and the Greens' Jonathan Sriranganathan.
Mr Schrinner narrowly won a majority council chamber in the 2020 local government election but suffered a 5.1 per cent swing, and a 3.9 per cent swing against the LNP across the wards.
Other wards to watch include Paddington, Enoggera, Morningside, The Gabba and Calamvale which the current councillors hold onto with narrow margins.
Among Queensland elections are Australia's two biggest local councils, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. (Savannah Meacham/AAP PHOTOS)
But on the Gold Coast, there is one division to watch.
Incumbent councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden will be seeking re-election for division seven while facing a murder charge.
He is accused of killing his stepfather Robert Malcolm Lumsden, 58, at the family's Arundel home on August 23, 2023.
Mr Bayldon-Lumsden says the state government endorsed his candidacy despite a coming trial for the murder charge.
"It's up to the voters now who they want as their representative," he told AAP on Friday.
But rival candidates and the state member for Bonney have taken a dim view.
"If he really cared about the community, he would not have put his hand up with an unresolved murder charge," LNP MP Sam O'Connor said.
Mr O'Connor said if the incumbent is re-elected it will likely result in another suspension, similar to what occurred six months ago when the charge was laid.
Premier Steven Miles told reporters on Friday Mr Bayldon-Lumsden would be "suspended again given the circumstances" if re-elected.
Candidates Joe Wilkinson and Jenna Schroeder criticised Mr Bayldon-Lumsden for running again, considering the council area has been without elected representation for six months.
Elsewhere, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is seeking re-election for a fourth time, and faces eight challengers.
Mayors and councillors are up for election across Queensland's 77 local governments but some voters will receive only one option on the ballot as some candidates run unopposed.
The local council elections take place on Saturday alongside two state government by-elections.
The by-elections are in Inala and Ipswich West after respective members, former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Jim Madden, resigned.
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