Labour list MP Jacinda Ardern has confirmed she wants to stand in the Mt Albert seat left vacant by former leader David Shearer.
Ms Ardern was "definitely thinking" about standing in the electorate, having moved to the area earlier this year.
"After a lot of conversations with people in Mt Albert and my own team, this morning I sent a message to our volunteers in Auckland Central that I would be putting my hat in the ring for Mt Albert," Ms Ardern said in a statement.
"Last election a big chunk of Auckland Central moved over to Mt Albert so the decision really was whether to follow that shift."
Mr Shearer is leaving the Labour Party and the safe Labour seat to head up the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
His move will force a by-election for the seat, likely just months before the general election.
There had been calls to hold an early election to take into account the changes, but that's been ruled out by new Prime Minister Bill English.
The seat was previously held by Helen Clark for 22 years and has never been held by National since it was established in 1947.
In the previous two elections, Ms Ardern ran against National's Nikki Kaye in the Auckland Central electorate, narrowly losing both times.
Mr Shearer gave his valedictory speech in Parliament on Tuesday night.
Newshub.
