Liberal party strategists are meeting in Canberra to plan for a by-election in the West Australian federal seat of Canning.
The seat was held by veteran MP Don Randall, who died from a heart attack in July and was the subject of a condolence motion in parliament on Monday.
WA Liberals state director Ben Morton is in Canberra for meetings, and party candidate nominations are set to close on Wednesday.
Potential candidates include Afghanistan war veteran Andrew Hastie and Tess Randall, Mr Randall's daughter who is an electorate staffer to Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop.
But there could be as many as eight other candidates.
It is understood the Liberals are aiming to launch their candidate at the party's WA state conference in Perth on August 22-23.
But it will depend on whether they fast-track the process for preselecting the candidate.
Canning is held by a margin of almost 12 per cent, but Labor is still expected to poll strongly.
WA Law Society president Matt Keogh has said he will seek preselection as Labor's candidate.
Once the date is set the by-election will be formally announced in parliament by new Speaker Tony Smith.
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