A CO Westmeath-based nurse hopes to become the first woman to lead Macra na Feirme, the Republic's oldest farm organisation, which has 8,000 members in rural Ireland.
Ms Eileen Doyle (34), a native of Carlow, has been a member of Macra for 10 years, and is currently national secretary of the organisation, which represents young people in rural Ireland and was founded in 1944.
Mr T.J. Maher (30), a Thurles, Co Tipperary farmer who has been a member of Macra since 1987, is also running. He has served as Munster vice-president for the past two years and has pledged to work to bridge the urban/rural divide in Irish society.
Also seeking the top position in the organisation is Mr John McLoughlin (28), a full-time farmer from Co Meath who joined Macra in 1988 and served as chairman and president of Meath Macra.
Ballot papers were issued last week to Macra's 300 clubs nationwide and the election count will take place on April 8th in Dublin.
Last week the organisation also sought a new chief executive to replace Mr Tom Curran, who has left Macra to become Fine Gael general secretary.