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And they’re off.

Nominations for mayor, city councillor and school board trustee closed Friday afternoon.

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Seeking his third term as mayor post-amalgamation, Jim Watson’s name will appear alongside the names of 11 other men when Ottawa voters head to the polls in October (Watson previously served one term as mayor in pre-amalgamation Ottawa).

Among the challengers is Clive Doucet, the former Capital ward councillor who faced off against Watson in the 2010 mayoral election and placed third.

The 56-year-old Watson, who captured 76 per cent of the vote in 2014, was expected to mark the closing of nominations by gathering with campaign volunteers at the corner of Bronson and Catherine during the afternoon rush hour to wave signs at passing motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

While the mayor’s race may not keep us up at night, a number of council races — particularly in wards where the incumbent decided not to run again — could keep us on our toes.