NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- As the mayoral election grows closer, television viewers can expect to see a growing number of political ads on the airwaves.

Related: Special Section: 2007 Mayoral Race | Video

Political campaigns usually mean a barrage of ads filled with name calling and mud-slinging.

Who could forget last year, when the bitter battle between Sen. Bob Corker and his opponent Harold Ford Jr. flooded the airwaves with negative ads?

Political pundits called the campaign one of the nastiest in the nation.

Some are now wondering if the public will have to go through all that negativity in choosing Nashville's new mayor.

"Television is important, because there are certain voters only get engaged through television. Direct mail doesn't work. Phones don't work; people have cell phones and we're not calling as much anymore,” said mayoral candidate David Briley.

While Nashville's mayoral candidates have spent months shaking hands and making personal contact with voters, television is where the big battle is fought.

Candidate Bob Clement starts airing Thursday night a two-minute image ad. It's an expensive, well-produced introduction to voters who may not know what he plans to do as mayor.

"I'm going to make major changes in Metro government,” said Clement.

Candidate Karl Dean has been running TV spots for two months.

"I'm obviously not a career politician. I needed to get my name out in front of the public with a message that's positive and informational,” said Dean.

In these first TV ads and early debates, the candidates have been extremely polite.

"In a five-person race, it's the kiss of death to be impolite,” said Briley.

Most of the candidates are promising to stay positive.

"Now some would call that a dull campaign because we're not talking about how bad the other guy is, but I think it’s very refreshing," said Clement.

But that doesn't mean the candidates won't talk about the other guy in their television ads.

"You can define yourself and sometimes define your opponent, but that doesn't mean you go negative. That’s not a negative campaign at all. We'll just have to see who I'm in the runoff with,” said Buck Dozier.

Nearly all of the candidates said they don't expect any negative campaigning until the likely runoff election, when there are only two people left on the ballot.

Election Day for Metro races is Aug. 2. Early voting starts July 13.