MORE than 400 Nationals members from across the electorate are expected to cast their vote on Saturday to determine who will replace John Cobb as the party’s candidate for the seat of Calare at the next federal election.
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Mr Cobb, the member for Calare, announced his retirement from politics during general business at a Nationals meeting in Lithgow on February 27. Four candidates have since been confirmed to vie for the seat in today's preselection at Bathurst Panthers - Bathurst’s Sam Farraway, state member for Orange Andrew Gee, butcher and councillor Scott Munro, also from Orange, and Wellington councillor Alison Conn.
Mr Gee is favoured to win preselection with Sportsbet installing him as the $1.45 favourite on Friday.
Mr Farraway has been viewed as the biggest threat to Mr Gee’s campaign and, if the Sportsbet odds are anything to go by, the gap is closing between the rivals. The betting agency had Mr Farraway at $3 on Thursday, compared with Mr Gee’s skinny odds of $1.20, but yesterday Mr Farraway firmed to $2.05.
Federal Electorate Council chairman Brett Kenworthy, who will start the official proceedings at 11am on Saturday, said Nationals members had been spoilt for choice with solid candidates.
“The members have good options and that is the great thing about our party - it is grassroots,” he added.
There are 700 Nationals members registered in the Calare electorate and only those who have held membership for six months will be eligible to vote.
Mr Kewworthy said after all the formalities were finished this morning, each candidate would have 10 minutes to address the room and 10 minutes to answer any questions from members present.
Names will be drawn out of a hat to decide the order of candidates’ names on the ballot paper. The winner of the ballot isn’t expected to be announced until after 3pm.
The federal seat of Calare has a long history as a safe Nationals safe, with Mr Cobb holding it since 2007.