The current mayor, Nancy McFarlane, has announced she will not be seeking re-election, leaving the mayoral position open for a new official for the first time in eight years.

The election for Raleigh mayor and city council will be held on Oct. 8, according to Ballotpedia. All of the seats are up for election.

Raleigh’s government has a council-manager relationship, which focuses on enacting policy through a council. The mayor serves as a liaison between the council and the public, rather than a leader, according to the International City/Council Management Association (ICMA). In Raleigh’s case, the mayor is a part of the council.

Three council members, including the mayor, are elected at-large, meaning anyone from the city can vote for them. This is in contrast to the remaining five, who are elected from each of Raleigh’s five council districts.

The last Raleigh election of Oct. 10, 2017 resulted in incumbent Nancy McFarlane taking 58% of votes, compared to opponent Charles Francis’s 42%, according to WRAL.

Further voting and election information can be found on the Wake County website. The deadline to file for available positions of city council or mayor is July 19.