It seemed that once Penticton city councillor Garry Litke said he'd run for mayor if current Mayor Dan Ashton was successful in winning the MLA seat for the Penticton riding in 2013, other candidates were quick to follow suit.
They include Julius Bloomfield, who lost his bid for the mayor's seat by fewer than 150 votes in 2011, Vic Powell, who ran in the same election, and Hart Buckendahl, who served two terms as mayor of Oliver.
Litke said it might have been better if he'd laid low for a while before making public his intention to seek the mayoralty.
"Hindsight's 20/20. The thought has crossed my mind, but at the same time, I'm not very good at playing coy," he said. "I always put my cards on the table."
He noted that although his decision appears to have generated some interest in the possibility of a byelection should Ashton, who is running for the Liberal party, win the provincial election in May, it's a bit early for speculation.
"You know, as a couple of letter writers have pointed out, it's a little premature because the outcome of the provincial election hasn't even been decided yet," said Litke.
Litke, who was the NDP candidate in 2005 but lost to Bill Barisoff of the Liberals, said he plans on working with current NDP candidate Richard Cannings.
"I already have been," he said of his work with Cannings. "I did some work at the nomination meeting. I did some fundraising."
Litke said with the start of the campaign almost three months away, Canning's focus will probably be geared towards fundraising.
"You've got to accumulate sufficient funds to run a credible campaign," he said.
Litke also noted that he agreed with some people who questioned why he didn't run for mayor in last year's elections and so, really, his most recent comments about running for mayor aren't anything new.
"Way back then, I said, 'Next time there's an opening, I will run.'"
He said, in the meantime, its business as usual at City Hall for him, Ashton and the rest of city council.
"Dan and I have been on council together for a long time," said Litke. "We work well together. I think we bring a good balance to council, and I'd be perfectly happy if it just continues in this way."