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Labour leader Phil Goff kick-started his party's campaign for the Mt Albert by-election on Sunday afternoon, despite the party not yet having chosen a candidate for the seat.
Goff was one of a dozen people who gathered in Mt Albert to put up signs about 1pm Sunday.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark left the seat vacant when she resigned from Parliament to take up a senior United Nations post and the by-election will be held on June 13.
Labour has received nine nominations for the post and David Shearer, a former adviser to Goff when he was foreign minister, is tipped to be chosen.
Goff's spokesma says a candidate would be chosen on May 3.
He says the party was keen to "get things cracking" and increase its presence in the area.
Goff also hosted a question and answer session between the Labour candidates and local members of the Labour Party on Sunday.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman has announced he will stand for his party and National's new list MP Melissa Lee was the front-runner among her party's nominations.
On Saturday, the Kiwi Party announced it would contest the Mt Albert seat and nominations will close on May 4.
Leader Larry Baldock says the party would "campaign hard" on social issues such as repealing the anti-smacking law and raising the drinking age.
The party failed to win any seats in the last general election.
While Clark was personally popular, the choice between the main parties is much closer.
She held the seat with a 10,350 vote majority in last year's election but Labour's lead over National in the party vote was just 2426.