Six weeks ago, Mayor Dana Williams powered his way to a first-place finish in the primary election, soundly defeating the three others on the primary ballot.

Brad Olch, the other candidate to advance to Election Day, finished more than 40 percentage points behind the incumbent, a staggering number to make up in a little more than a month.

But the campaign between Williams and Olch, two of the most transforming figures of Park City’s skiing era, became one of great intrigue in the last month, with Olch leveling the deepest criticism of Williams that the mayor has faced in his eight years in office.

Olch served three terms as mayor from 1990 until 2002 and sat on the Park City Council and the city’s Planning Commission before he ascended to the mayor’s office. His accomplishments included expanding City Hall’s revered open-space program, helping craft Park City’s role in the 2002 Winter Olympics and navigating numerous contentious growth debates.

Williams, meanwhile, came to political prominence in the 1990s as the leader of development watchdog Citizens Allied for Responsible Growth and won the mayor’s office in a highly charged election in 2001 against Fred Jones, then a member of the City Council. He was unopposed as he won a second term in 2005.

Williams led Park City in the post-Winter Olympic boom years, when City Hall’s budget was flush and the local government won widespread accolades for its performance. Many people still seem generally pleased. Williams says civility returned to the city government during his administration.

Between the two, they have occupied the mayor’s office for the past 19 years and had great influence on disparate topics from the Winter Olympics to work force housing. Williams had a real estate career until the recession and has since become a barista. He had long been better known as an activist than as a homeseller. Olch is best known for his time at City Hall. He started a foundation when he left office.

Longtime City Hall observers had anticipated a campaign between Williams and Olch in 2001. Olch, though, did not seek re-election that year, saying that he had accomplished much over his three terms. Williams rode his popularity as the leader of the watchdog into office.

The politicking this year became tense in the weeks before Election Day, following a stretch of campaigning prior to the September primary that lacked much political pizzazz. Olch was especially aggressive in his criticism of City Hall under Williams, saying the incumbent has not reacted effectively to the recession and has not been aggressively seeking a result to the long-running talks about the Sweeney family’s Treasure development proposal.

Williams countered repeatedly with what he sees as his accomplishments and with statements about measures undertaken at City Hall during the recession. The mayor, though, has had only limited statements about Treasure, saying that he cannot speak extensively about the development proposal since there are ongoing talks between Park City officials and the Sweeneys.

Just 16 percent of the registered voters in Park City cast ballots in the primary, and both of the mayoral candidates are hoping that many more people vote on Tuesday. Turnout is especially important for Olch as he tries to make up the ground. early Friday, 310 people had already voted, 5.7 percent of the registered voters.

Park City voters on Tuesday will also choose two members of the Park City Council. Four candidates — Mark Blue, Alex Butwinski, Cindy Matsumoto and John Stafsholt — are seeking one of the seats. The two incumbents — Jim Hier and Roger Harlan — are not seeking re-election.

There was not a primary to reduce the City Council field and it is difficult to handicap the campaign. None of them has extensive public service. Blue is a perennial City Council candidate with time spent assisting not-for-profit groups and in the restaurant industry. Butwinski, a retired management consultant, closely watches City Hall. Matsumoto is a business owner and has been active in preservation circles. Stafsholt is an Old Town activist who has been especially interested in debates about building designs in the neighborhood.