The local Green Party is opening itself to nominees this year, bucking a previous trend of nominating candidates internally.

That’s according to a release by the local branch Tuesday. Interested “community minded” members have until March 15 to sign up for the party and declare their intent to run, possibly alongside previous nominee and retired engineer Peter Smith. The party will then have an official nomination meeting in April, either to acclaim a nominee or to vote from a pool of candidates.

Late last year, Smith said he was on the fence about running in a second election. The former Green Party nominee might be back on the ballot this year, but the party has made it clear: this is an open race.

“We’re trying to be more transparent and open about the process,” Kevin Shaw, chief executive officer of the local party, said. “We still might only get one person (interested in running), but we could get a few more this time.”

Local membership for the party is fewer than 100 people, but interest in the party is higher than usual, Shaw said. Candidates like Smith have helped thrust the party further into the limelight, he added, and hosting an open nomination process could help.

“I think sometimes the Green Party, we have a low profile. Some people don’t know us, don’t hear about us as much,” Shaw said. “But there definitely is more interest. Ontario has a Green MPP now . . . people are recognizing we need to take better care of the environment, I think.”

Sarnia-Lambton could be a hotly contested riding, but a Green victory seems unlikely. In 2015 Conservative nominee Marylin Gladu won the riding with less than 40 per cent of the vote, while Smith finished a distant fourth with under three per cent.

Those interested in the nomination, or in becoming a registered member of the party, are asked to contact kevin.shaw@greenparty.ca.

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