Maribor's 93,000 eligible voters will be able to choose between 11 candidates, with sociologist Andrej Fištravec and SocDems MP Matevž Frangež projected as favourites in recent opinion polls.

Unless one of the candidates musters an absolute majority, a run-off is expected to take place on 24 March.

However, the winner will merely serve out the remaining year and a half of Kangler's term and will have to contend with a City Council still dominated by Kangler's old allies.

Kangler, who won the 2010 election in the first round in what was his second term at the helm of Maribor, resigned on 31 December following about a dozen criminal complaints brought against him amidst allegations of widespread corruption in City Hall under his watch.

Polls will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM CET, with early unofficial results expected rather late on Sunday.