If you’re concerned about the 29 year gap since Melbourne last had a female Lord Mayor, the solution is simple: just vote for Sally.

Sally Warhaft, the broadcaster, author, academic and former editor of The Monthly is firming as one of the four serious contenders for Robert Doyle’s old job, after originally announcing her candidacy through the Herald Sun.

She joins Sally Capp, the first female Victorian Agent General in London and first female director of the Collingwood Football Club, as the two most likely female candidates to break the male dominance over the role. Nominations closed at noon yesterday and there are 14 candidates in the field, including six women.

Male domination of Melbourne’s mayoralty is in stark contrast with other Australian capital cities.

Clover Moore has been Lord Mayor of Sydney since 2004 and she succeeded Lucy Turnbull. Indeed, it has been a 15 year mayoral man-drought in Sydney all the way back to the end of Frank Sartor’s 12 year rein in 2003.

Lisa Scaffidi was the first female Lord Mayor of Perth when elected in 2007 and held the post continuously for 11 years until the new West Australian Labor Government suspended the council earlier this year.

In Hobart, Liberal Sue Hickey held the role since 2014 until recently being elected to the State Parliament. Ron Christie has now taken on the gig.

Brisbane also has the directly elected model mayoral like Melbourne and it has been dominated by conservative blokes ever since Campbell Newman won office in 2004. The first and last female Lord Mayor of Brisbane was Liberal Sally-Anne Atkinson, who held the role from 1985 until 1991.

In Adelaide, the last female Lord Mayor was Jane Lomax-Smith, who did a three year term until 2000.

Given the circumstances of Robert Doyle’s departure, the time factor for a female victory in Melbourne is particularly strong and Sally Warhaft is running most strongly on that theme.

Two time Labor candidate and former Bill Shorten staffer Jennifer Yang has been told by the party to run in order to stop Greens candidate Rohan Leppert, who has been installed as second favourite by the bookies.

Yang is a former suburban mayor and the Labor machine does appear to be funding her campaign, but they will need to spend up big to get the anti-Green preference message out there.

Former Federal independent MP Phil Cleary, who finished 3rd on the primaries in 2016 with 10.89%, was ruled ineligible due to not being properly enrolled, so his exit is good news for Sally Warhaft who is the only leading candidate with a clear position opposing the controversial redevelopment of the Queen Victoria Market.

The biggest threat to the Sallys will come from incumbent Greens councillor Leppert who is running hard on planning issues, highlighting the major negative for Sally Capp being her current position as CEO of the Victorian division of the Property Council.

The Green vote in these elections has been steadily rising over the years. Leppert is a quality candidate who knows Town Hall backwards and is a seasoned political campaigner, so the Green vote is likely to rise again, particularly given the absence of Doyle and growth in the residential community from all those apartment developments.

The big question is where does Doyle’s astonishing 44.62% primary vote from 2016 finish?

Sally Capp is the establishment candidate being backed by the commercial media, the property owning industry and Labor, although she did briefly become a Liberal Party member from April 2014 until August 2016. She should get a primary vote above 25%.

Neither Liberal or Labor is formally endorsing candidates although long time Liberal member and former councillor Ken Ong will drain plenty of business votes from Sally Capp and the Chinese community.

Ultimately, it will be a contest between The Greens representing residents and the business community and property owners, represented by Capp. The voting system is designed to avoid a left wing takeover of Town Hall and that’s the most likely outcome, although both Ken Ong and Sally Warhaft could be in the mix if they campaign well.

Stephen Mayne is a former City of Melbourne councillor.