A by-election in the Tauranga electorate will be held on Saturday, June 18, so voters can decide who will replace Simon Bridges as the city’s MP.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the by-election date on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, Ardern said she had been informed that Bridges’ resignation would be effective from May 6.

Bridges resigned as an MP in March, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. He had held the Tauranga seat, generally considered a National Party stronghold, since he entered Parliament in 2008.

The by-election date announcement coincided with the Labour Party confirming that Tauranga-based MP Jan Tinetti, currently minister for internal affairs, would contest the seat for the party.

“Tauranga hasn't been won by Labour since 1935 ... I'm going there to talk about what Labour's done as far as Covid response, how we are a good option for Taranga, and the work that we do for Tauranga coming out of the Covid era,” Tinetti said.

"Tauranga is my home, I love Tauranga, it's really important to me to connect locally. I haven't had so many opportunities because I've been busy with my ministerial work.”

Tinetti was the first candidate for a major political party to confirm her run in the by-election. Nominations remain open until midday Tuesday, May 17.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon has already declared his party will win the by-election.

"National's gonna win the Tauranga by-election, but we've got a process to go through as we select candidate, and we've got a very strong organisation on the ground there, and I think we'll do well,” Luxon said on Wednesday afternoon.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said her party had not yet decided whether to field a candidate in the election.

"That is up to the membership, our executive of the Green Party, and they'll be making a decision on that with the discussions with the local branch over the next couple of weeks or so,” she said.

NZ First leader Winston Peters, who was ousted from Parliament at the 2020 election, has also yet to decide whether his party will contend. Peters held the Tauranga electorate from 1993 to 2005.

Peters refused on comment on whether he or his party was considering a run, when interviewed on Wednesday.

Credit: Stuff.co.nz