Both major parties had previously played down their chances of winning the seat. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The National Party has released its short list of three candidates for the Hamilton West by-election.
The by-election will be held on 10 December. It was sparked by the resignation of independent MP Gaurav Sharma who took the seat for Labour in 2020.
Local National Party members will pick their candidate between Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau, Frances Hughes and Tama Potaka on Sunday.
Both major parties had previously played down their chances of winning the seat.
Earlier this month National Party leader Christopher Luxon said, "I think the reality here is this is a seat the Labour Party has a huge majority in, I mean let's be clear, it's a large majority.
"As a consequence we're going to work incredibly hard, we're not going to take anything for granted, and we're going to make our case to the people of Hamilton as to why they would be better represented by a National representative."
He had previously ruled out quotas for building diversity within the party.
He acknowledged the need for change and more diversity in his party, but said selecting a candidate was the business of the local party constituency and that quota targets within his party would not operate.
His comments were made as Soraya Peke-Mason was sworn into Parliament as a Labour List MP, making it 60 women MPs and 59 male MPs in the House.
The National Party caucus is made up of 33 percent woman, 6 percent Māori, 3 percent Asian and no Pasifika.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had also previously dampened down expectations of another clear Labour victory.
"I think it's fair to say that Labour has at least in recent times been an underdog in this seat ... in recent elections we've held it once out of five. So that's the history of the seat, and so I let that record speak for itself as to the kind of contest," Ardern said