Northlanders will find out today who is in the running to replace Mike Sabin as the electorate's next National candidate.
The sudden resignation of Mr Sabin as Northland MP, a few months into his second term, triggered a byelection which is due to be held on March 28.
National's nominations closed at noon on Thursday with the party's electorate committee whittling them down to a maximum of five finalists in a pre-selection vetting process. The shortlist is expected to be released late today.
The chosen five will then have two weeks to persuade party delegates to vote for them at a selection meeting in Kaikohe on February 28. The party will not say how many nominations were received but it is understood to be between five and 15. Last year's final five were Sarah Davies, Matt King, Ken Rintoul, Mr Sabin and Mark Tan.
Ms Davies and Mr Tan have already stated they will not contest the candidacy. Mr King, an Okaihau farmer and fraud investigator, is having another tilt at the job. Mr Rintoul, who subsequently founded a new political party, Focus NZ, did not return calls. Mr King and Maungaturoto farmer Grant McCallum were the only would-be candidates to go public with their nominations.
