A young mum, a former cohort of Frank Sartor, a technologist, a small-business owner, an affordable-housing advocate and a feminist stripper - these are the contenders trying to oust Clover Moore as the next Lord Mayor of Sydney.

Ms Moore will come up against seven new candidates next month after being forced to stand down from her MP role.

Living Sydney mayoral candidate and small-business owner Angela Vithoulkas was drawn on top of the ballot paper yesterday, saying it could be a good omen for the month ahead.

"I couldn't be happier that I get this opportunity for the community," she said.

She will be followed by Zahra Stardust, a "feminist stripper", trapeze artist, pole dancer and exotic dancer who has posed for adult magazines and websites who first stood for the Australian Sex Party at the 2010 federal election.

Ms Moore, who has been mayor since 2004 and a councillor since 1980 will be third on the ballot.

Technologist Edward Mandla is fourth and will run for the Liberal Party on a platform of creating a safer and more affordable city.

Denis Doherty will be fifth on the paper. Standing Greens councillor Irene Doutney, an advocate for affordable housing and standing up for the disadvantaged, will be sixth.

Linda Scott, the 34-year-old mother of two, who will lobby for better childcare and core services is running seventh.

Dixie Coulton, a former deputy Lord Mayor, once ran on the same ticket as past lord mayor Frank Sartor and Lucy Turnbull, wife of federal MP Malcolm.

They were part of the former Living Sydney Independent Team.

Yesterday Sportsbet was paying $1.02 for a Ms Moore victory, with the next closest $15 for a Mr Mandla win, $25 for a Ms Scott win and $50 for Ms Doutney. None of the other mayoral candidates were being considered by Sportsbet.

There were just 3790 councillors across NSW nominated by the deadline at NSW Electoral Commission - down from 4441 that stood for the 2008 elections.

There were 147 nominations for mayoral candidates.

It comes as the two peak local government bodies for NSW merged to become one group and create a stronger voice for councils.

The decision of the members of the Local Government Association and the Shires Association to form a single peak industry body which speaks and negotiates on behalf of all NSW councils was announced yesterday.

NSW Minister for Local Government Don Page said the merger would enable local councils to speak with one voice on the vital issues facing ratepayers and the people of NSW.

Source: The Daily Telegraph