Municipal elections are being held in Alberta today and the race for the mayor香蕉视频直播檚 chair in Calgary is drawing the most attention.

Naheed Nenshi is seeking his third term, but a victory is far from guaranteed.

Nenshi was the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city when he was first elected in 2010, and his popularity and affable style gave him a national profile.

But a number of polls have shown that the race this time between him and Calgary lawyer Bill Smith is too close to call.

香蕉视频直播淚 have no idea if this election is close. That香蕉视频直播檚 actually the big challenge here. This is an election that is being run in the absence of evidence,香蕉视频直播� Nenshi said in the final days of the campaign.

He said he always expected it would be a close race, but added this one has been nasty. He shrugs off critics who say he has become arrogant and difficult to work with.

香蕉视频直播淚f I wanted to be universally loved, I would have been a pet groomer. You don香蕉视频直播檛 want to go into politics if you want to be universally loved,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淵ou go into politics because you want to try and do what香蕉视频直播檚 right for people every day.香蕉视频直播�

Smith said Calgarians are frustrated by high taxes, excessive spending by the city and a continued downturn in the energy sector.

Nenshi香蕉视频直播檚 campaign has been avoiding the problems the city is facing, Smith suggested.

香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 been doing a job of trying to deflect a lot of things since the beginning of his campaign. I香蕉视频直播檝e been trying to focus on the results of his last seven years,香蕉视频直播� said Smith.

香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 expect this campaign to get as personal as it has and it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 from our side.香蕉视频直播�

Pollster Janet Brown says a mayoralty incumbent hasn香蕉视频直播檛 lost in Calgary since 1980.

Another race to watch is for the mayor香蕉视频直播檚 job in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray. Melissa Blake, who has been mayor since 2004, is not running again.

She was praised for her grace under pressure after a devastating wildfire swept through the city in 2016 and also advocated for more housing and expanded infrastructure when Fort McMurray boomed before the last oil downturn.

In Edmonton, incumbent Don Iveson is expected to handily win a second term as mayor.

香蕉视频直播� Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press