The Košice mayoral race remains tightly contested ahead of the October 2026 municipal vote, with recent July polling from agentúra AKO showing Ladislav Lörinc at 27.4%, incumbent Jaroslav Polaček at 25.4%, and Martin Mudrák at 24.9% among decided voters. Polaček, backed by a multi-party coalition and emphasizing completed infrastructure projects and external funding, faces challenges from Lörinc, a borough mayor focused on local priorities, and Mudrák, supported by an opposition grouping that stresses cross-party cooperation on transport, parking, and urban development. Eight registered candidates overall, combined with low turnout projections and fragmented voter preferences, sustain the narrow margins reflected in trader pricing. Late-campaign events such as additional debates, coalition endorsements, or shifts in key local issues like mobility and safety could widen gaps among the leaders.