Once the ballot for the September 9 election was drawn on Wednesday night there were 87 people who had indicated their intention to run for council.

This number of candidates almost doubles the number who ran at the last Orange City Council election in 2012.

It seems however that nearby large regional cities didn’t attract the same degree of interest from their would-be councillors and mayors.

In Cabonne only 14 people are vying to become councillors.

This week residents and ratepayers in Cabonne will be asked to vote on a referendum question when they go to the polls.

Electors will be asked to decide whether the council should reduce its councillor numbers from 12 to nine for the council’s next term in three years’ time.

The Bathurst Regional Council election attracted 40 nominations while Dubbo Regional Council finished with a total of 28 candidates.