KEY POINTS:
Act is leaving its fifth party list position vacant until closer to the election.
The party's board has left the spot vacant while it tries to entice someone to fill it - possibly a young woman to counter-balance the return of Sir Roger Douglas.
The former Finance Minister
has been strategically placed at number three, behind the two sitting MPs, but within reach of getting back to Parliament with only a slight increase in Act's party vote in 2005, 1.5 per cent.
It is expecting a higher party vote this election for two reasons:
* It has more room on National's right flank with National having moved closer to the centre compared to the last election.
* With Mr Hide almost certain to regain his Epsom seat, Act will not need to reach the 5 per cent threshold for its party votes to count.
Mr Hide said the party's board was discussing the vacancy with several possibilities.
It did not have to file its list yet and that left room for another "splash" when the spot was filled.
Mr Hide also announced former MP Kenneth Wang would contest the Botany seat and not take a place on the list. Among his opponents there will be National list MP Pansy Wong.
Mr Wang said he and the board decided that was the best way to try to secure two electorates.
He would be concentrating on the electorate vote, though clearly wanted the party vote as well.
The party's intake was cut drastically last election from nine MPs in 2002 to just two MPs in 2005.
It has generally been polling under 1 per cent in Herald-DigiPoll surveys and in July polled just 0.2 per cent.
THE WANNABES
1. Rodney Hide
Act leader, Epsom candidate.
2. Heather Roy
Act MP, Wellington Central candidate.
3. Roger Douglas
Act founder, former Finance Minister, Hunua candidate.
4. John Boscawen
Electoral law campaigner, finance and property investor.
5. Vacant.
6. Hilary Calvert
Dunedin lawyer and Dunedin North candidate.
7. Peter Tashkoff
IT specialist, author, Te Tai Tokerau candidate.
8. John Ormond
Meat and wool farmer, Act founder member, Tukituki candidate.
9. Colin du Plessis
South African immigrant, owns medical equipment business, Ohariu candidate.
10. Shawn Tan
Post-graduate student Auckland University, Singaporean Chinese descent.
11. Ron Scott
Owns training establishment specialising in business training, Tauranga candidate.
12. Aaron Keown
Owns entertainment business, 2nd in 2005 Christchurch mayoralty, Waimakariri candidate.
