It's too early to officially call Singleton's mayoral race but as counting stood still on Sunday, incumbent mayor Sue Moore was in the lead.
Election day booths and some postal votes have been counted but more than 10,000 votes still need to be tallied including from pre-polling booths.
Out of the 6409 votes so far, Cr Moore had 47 per cent of first preference votes while independent candidate and current councillor Danny Thompson had 33 per cent and Labor candidate Peree Watson had 19.5 per cent.
Before the NSW Electoral Commission starts the voting tally up again on Monday September 16, Cr Moore had the most votes at all election day polling booths except for Singleton Public.
As mayor for the last 12 years, Cr Moore said she was "quietly confident" that people would support her.
"I am pretty pleased at where I finished up at each of the polling booths on election day," she said.
"I am still very aware that pre-poll has to be counted, that will bring significant numbers in."
It was a busy day campaigning outside Singleton Heights on Saturday, with lines stretching for more than 100 metres for a two-hour block, Cr Moore said.
"It was pretty incredible for Singleton to see that sort of numbers at one booth," she said.
If the vote counting goes her way, Cr Moore said Singleton needs to prepare for once the bypass opens, and changes that came with that such as housing and accessibility to the town centre.
"Long-term, we need to plan for the use of mine land when mining does eventually finish. That is not something that will be achieved in a four-year term but working towards that has to start now," she said.
Cr Thompson and first-time council candidate Ms Watson, directed preferences to each other in the mayoral race.
Cr Thompson said he felt good about the response so far but that the decision would likely come down to the flow of preferences.
"It is very difficult to go against an incumbent mayor when all the publicity around the council revolves around an individual," he said.
"I don't think anybody is going to get a straight-out majority without preferences."
He said there were several thousand more voters in Singleton than last local government elections.
"There are a lot of people in town that don't know who we are because Singleton is a growing community," he said.
Ms Watson, who previously ran as the Labor candidate in the Upper Hunter state seat, said she was hopeful about being on council for the first time.
While she trailed behind for the mayoral race, her numbers looked solid for a councillor position.
"We will see how it goes but it was a very positive feel to pre-poll. It is in the hands of the counters," she said.
"I think there is an appetite for change and whether it will happen this time, I'm not sure."
