Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman says her hat will be in the ring to fill Pat Pimm's seat in Victoria.
The two-term Fort St. John mayor said Thursday afternoon she would seek the B.C. Liberal party nomination in the Peace River North riding. Pimm announced he would not seek a third term as MLA Thursday morning.
The next provincial election is in 2017.
"I knew (Pat Pimm) wouldn't be running again, he said he would only do two terms," Ackerman said. "There's going to be some really big shoes to fill. I think the north needs someone who's willing to work really hard, and a recognizable voice. So yes.
"I feel I've got skills to provide to that, and the recognizable voice," she said.
She said it's too early to say when nominations will open for the 2017 race.
Ackerman earlier sought the nomination in 2009, when Pimm won the party's nod on the third ballot.
If Ackerman steps down as mayor to seek the nomination or run, it would trigger a local byelection to fill the mayor's seat.
The next local government elections are set for Oct. 2018, with local government terms recently extended to four years.
"This particular election would be midterm," she said.
"I've had conversations with a lot of the constituents, and I've had a lot of support already," she said. "I've always said I would do two terms as councillor, two terms as mayor, then see where the world took me."
Pimm won in the 2013 election with 58 per cent of the vote.
