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Wentworth by-election nominations to close

Dave Sharma will soon know who he will have to beat to avoid becoming the first Liberal candidate to lose the blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth

Liberal candidate for Wentworth Dave Sharma
Liberal candidate for Wentworth Dave Sharma. Source: AAP

Those hoping to replace Malcolm Turnbull in the former prime minister's blue-ribbon seat have until midday to officially throw their hat in the ring.

The close of nominations at midday on Thursday comes 24 days out from the by-election for Wentworth, the eastern Sydney seat which the Liberal Party has never lost.

Liberal candidate Dave Sharma is expected to reveal how he wishes voters to direct preferences in the coming days after saying he would wait until the final list was sorted.

High-profile independent candidate and local doctor Kerryn Phelps poses one of the biggest threats to Mr Sharma, Australia's previous ambassador to Israel.

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A loss for the Liberal party in Wentworth will mean the end of the Morrison government's one-seat majority.

While Mr Turnbull has pledged support for the Liberal candidate, his son Alex has thrown his support behind Labor's Tim Murray, the co-founder of a China-focused financial research company.

The Greens have put forward Waverley City Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak while Angela Vithoulkas, one of Ms Phelps' colleagues on the Sydney City Council, is also running as an independent.

All up, 13 people have publicly announced their candidacy.

The Australian Electoral Commission is expected to declare the nominations on Friday.

Polls open for early voting on Tuesday.


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