DEPUTY mayor Herman Beyersdorf will run for preselection with Country Labor at the Northern Tablelands byelection.
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The long-standing councillor and University of New England academic is the first person to publicly state their intention to represent the party at the election for the state seat.
Cr Beyersdorf said the region's voters were concerned by the state government's position on coal seam gas exploration, shooting in national parks and public sector cuts.
He hoped to restore Labor's vote in the region to a "respectable" level following poor results at the 2011 election.
"I think it was the independent phenomenon, which has been totally trashed, that reduced the Labor Party's vote to almost minor party status unfortunately," he said.
Nominations for Labor preselection will close on April 22. If another candidate challenges Cr Beyersdorf, a ballot of party members will be held.
The byelection date has not been announced.
More in Friday's Armidale Express.