THE TWEED Shire Council election is finally underway with a Melbourne Cup field of candidates vying for a seat in the local chamber.

The field of candidates was finalised late today at the NSW Electoral Commission office in Tweed Heads South, with a draw undertaken to determine the final order on the Tweed ballot paper.

An increased field will contest the October 29 poll, with a total of 76 candidates - comprising 15 groups and four individuals - nominating for the election.

The nomination process had to be repeated after the original election, scheduled for September 10, was cancelled following the death of a candidate during the original campaign.

The field has expanded since the first campaign, with an additional three groups putting their hand up for election, including former mayor and Chinderah motelkeeper Kevin Skinner, Tweed Heads resident Kaye Sharples and Murwillumbah businessman Pryce Allsop, who bungled his registration the first time around.

Long-standing councillor Warren Polglase will head the lengthy ballot paper, after his name was drawn out of the box first, followed by Pottsville candidate Chris Cherry and Kingscliff's Jayne Henry .

Cr Polglase said he was pleased to nab the coveted top spot.

"I've been in that position before, it doesn't really make much difference in securing votes but it is good to be up there and get the recognition factor,” Cr Polglase said.

"It is going to be challenging for voters to fill out the form - it is going to be like a Senate form - so we will have to have a good how-to-vote form.”

All of the current sitting councillors, apart from the retiring Cr Phil Youngblutt, are recontesting their seats, including Mayor Katie Milne (Greens), Deputy Mayor Gary Bagnall, Barry Longland and Carolyn Byrne.

Reece Byrnes will head the Country Labor ticket, while other past councillors seeking re-election include Ron Cooper, Dot Holdom and Kevin Skinner.

Murwillumbah High School acting principal Michael McNamara and Liberal Party candidate James Owen complete the field of groups.

The same four individual candidates are contesting the race, including Bilambil Heights shopkeeper Dion Andrews, blind people's advocate Suzy Hudson, Hare Krishna devotee Mathuranatha Das and Aboriginal history advocate James McKenzie.

THE order of the Tweed council ballot paper, as drawn by the NSW Electoral Commission, is as follows:

1. Group A: Polglase, W (Independent)

2. Group B: Cherry, C (Independent)

3. Group C: Henry, J (Independent)

4. Group D: Milne, K (Greens)

5. Group E: McNamara, M (Independent)

6. Group F: Owen, J (Liberal)

7. Group G: Holdom, D (Independent)

8. Group H: Allsop, P (Independent)

9. Group I: Longland, B (Independent)

10. Group J: Skinner, K (Independent)

11. Group K: Bagnall, G (Independent)

12. Group L: Byrne, C

13. Group M: Cooper, R (Independent)

14. Group N: Byrnes, R (Country Labor)

15. Group O: Sharples, K (Independent)

The four individual candidates, in order of draw are:

1. Andrews, Dion (Independent)

2. Hudson, Suzy (Independent)

3. Das, Mathuranatha (Independent)

4. McKenzie, James (Independent)