UFV professor and former Times columnist John Martin will be acclaimed next week as the BC Conservative Party's (BCCP) candidate for the Chilliwack-Hope byelection.

Martin was introduced in early December as the "very recognizable" candidate by BCCP leader John Cummins.

A number of other people took out nomination papers, but no one other than Martin stepped forward. This means Martin will be acclaimed at the Jan. 17 meeting to be held at 7 p.m. at the Best Western.

The nomination period also ended on Friday for the local New Democratic Party (NDP). Three candidates will contend for the right to run.

FVRD Area E director Dennis Adamson was the first to announce early last year that he would run.

Douglas College nursing instructor and former BC Coroner Kathleen Stephany announced her candidacy in December.

And last week, former federal and provincial NDP candidate Gwen O'Mahony announced she will seek the party's nomination in Chilliwack-Hope.

The party will choose its candidate at a nomination meeting on Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. at the Landing Sports Centre.

Chilliwack-Hope MLA Barry Penner said in November he would step down in the new year, a move that means Premier Christy Clark must call a byelection within six months.

Clark has said it made sense to run the byelection at the same time as one in Port Moody, which needs to be called by March.

No one has yet announced they will seek the BC Liberal nomination, but it is rumoured someone who worked for former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl had moved to the riding and will run for the Liberals.

When Clark was in Chilliwack in December, she mentioned Strahl as someone who was going to "put his shoulder to the wheel" for the party in the riding.

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com