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NORTH ATTLEBORO - With six contested races, including a hotly contested battle for seats on the board of selectmen, the town is hoping for a blockbuster turnout at the polls on Tuesday.

Election Commission Chairman Kevin Poirier said he is hoping that at least 5,000 of the town's 17,000-plus registered voters will cast ballots - which would amount to a turnout of around 28 percent.

"I'm an eternal optimist," Poirier said. "I'd like to say that all 17,919 of our registered voters will show up. But I'm also a realist, so I'm hoping we have at least 5,000, provided the weather is good."

The last time more than 5,000 voters cast ballots in a local election was in 2000, when 5,125 voters turned out. If 28 percent of the town's voters cast ballots, it will equal the turnout percentage for 2002, when voters were faced with a ballot that included six referendum questions, including a host of overrides and a charter initiative.

This year, the ballot is all about the races. "There has been a lot of activity this year, and not just in the selectmen's race," Poirier said. "If you drive around town, you'll see signs up for everything from selectmen to the park commission. All the candidates have been working hard, especially the board of selectmen, and if they get all their people out to vote, we should have a heavy turnout."

The selectmen's race has sparked particular interest, with many wondering what correlation, if any, the town's preliminary election results will have with the final outcome.

With only 5 percent of registered voters casting ballots in the preliminary election, it is difficult to determine whether the results accurately reflect the mood of the town at large.

In the preliminary election, challengers Mark Williamson, the town's former human resources director, and Michael Thompson, a former selectman, bested the two incumbents.

At that time voters whittled the field down from five to four, with Williamson coming in first with 434 votes, followed by Thompson with 362 votes, incumbent William Moffitt with 336 votes and incumbent Marjorie Kraskouskas with 322 votes.

Former Selectman David Chee was knocked out of the race when he placed fifth with 318 votes, trailing Kraskouskas by just four votes.

The four remaining candidates will vie for two seats on Tuesday.

In addition to the selectmen's race, there are five other contested races on the ballot this year.

Three candidates are vying for two seats on the school committee, where incumbents Christopher Frost and James McKenna are facing a challenge from Charles Beale, a Representative Town Meeting member.

Two are vying for a single seat in the board of health race, which pits incumbent Susan Shaw against Jonathan "Jay" Maslen, a RTM member. In the race for a planning board seat, incumbent Christopher Sweet will face off against former planning board member Constant Poholek Jr.

The board of public works will also feature a two-way race for a single seat, pitting incumbent Robert Norton against Donald Corliss, a political newcomer.

Finally, three candidates are running for two seats on the park commission. Incumbents Gary Berkley and Timothy "Tippy" Coyle face a challenge from political newcomer Joseph Lima Jr.

All precincts vote at North Attleboro High School, where the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

AMY DeMELIA can be reached at 508-236-0334 or at ademelia@thesunchronicle.com.