Three lawyers are vying for the Liberal nomination in St. Paul’s after Premier Kathleen Wynne stopped plans to appoint a candidate.

Sources said some high-ranking Liberal officials had wanted health-care consultant Will Falk to carry the party banner in the key downtown Toronto riding in the June 7 provincial election without holding a contested nomination.

Even though Wynne has the power to name up to five candidates across the province under the Ontario Liberal Party constitution, she said Tuesday that an appointment was a non-starter.

“There is going to be an open nomination in St. Paul’s that will go forward,” the premier told reporters at a campaign-style event promoting last week’s pre-election budget.

The seat — one of the safest Liberal ridings in Ontario — has been vacant since former health minister Eric Hoskins resigned in February to become Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pharmacare czar.

Some senior Grits had wanted Falk to be the candidate, but other hopefuls were already selling party memberships to would-be voters in a nomination election.

That would have led to a messy internecine battle at a time when the Liberals are trying to present a united front, which is why Wynne overruled some of her key campaign advisors.

“Our constitution provides for the ability of appointments, but the vast majority of nominations are open and transparent and are really good for the democratic process at the local level,” she said.

“I actually think there are three candidates potentially who will be running, so there’s an open nomination in St. Paul’s.”

Charles Finlay, chief of staff to Economic Development Minister Steven Del Duca and a runner-up to Hoskins in the 2009 St. Paul’s race, is making his second bid for the nomination.

Finlay is up against Jess Spindler, director of legal affairs and party services at the Liberal Party of Canada, and another lawyer, Greg Coleman, who has worked in the renewable energy field.

Falk told the Star he is “not running.”

The local riding association has yet to schedule the nomination meeting.

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