Highest polling unsuccessful candidate Jason Granville will stand again for the Wanganui District Council in a by-election following the resignation of Michael Laws.
Mr Laws, who is taking up a job in Timaru, has officially resigned from council and the Whanganui District Health Board. The council vacancy will be decided by a by-election while a ministerial appointment will be made to the board.
Mr Granville said he would be running again, especially after missing out last year by only 77 votes.
"It will probably look a wee bit silly if I didn't run again after getting that close," said Mr Granville.
He said he only did things to win, so was "pretty disappointed last time".
"I wouldn't go in there full of confidence or being a cocky little fella or anything like that but I'd do it to succeed," he said.
Former council hopefuls Graham Adams, Ross Mitchell- Anyon and Rory Smith were undecided on running for council again.
"It's certainly a possibility," said Mr Mitchell-Anyon.
"It's something that I have contemplated."
Mr Smith said that he had been thinking about it but had so far made no concrete decisions.
"By-elections are always interesting," he said.
Randhir Dahya, who became a council member 21 years ago, and former councillor Allan Anderson, a DHB member, were not running again, though Mr Dahya said he might in the future.
"I need a break," he said.
Mr Anderson said he had served two terms that he considered "an honour and a privilege", but it was time to call it quits.
"To try and recapture that is not in the best interests of either myself or the community."
He said there was someone else he was encouraging to stand, but was not sure yet if that person would.
"There's someone, in my view, who is an outstanding candidate."
Mr Anderson said he would support that person if they chose to run.
Wanganui councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said while it was the law to hold a by-election to fill the vacancy, she would be bringing an item to the next strategy and policy committee meeting to consider taking a remit to the next Local Government New Zealand conference in July to change that.
She suggested that "in the period from 12 months to 24 months post election, no by-election occurs and that the next highest polling candidate from the previous election is offered the vacancy, if no legal or criminal reason why that person cannot be considered".
The health board will make a ministerial appointment to replace Mr Laws.