Voters in former opposition leader Sussan Ley’s regional electorate will go to the polls in May to choose her replacement.

The byelection in the southern NSW seat of Farrer, which takes in areas such as Albury and Griffith, will be held on May 9.

The poll was triggered by Ley’s resignation from parliament after she lost the Liberal Party leadership to Angus Taylor in February.

Ley formally resigned from parliament last Friday.

The byelection looms as a critical early challenge for the Coalition under Taylor’s leadership.

While Farrer has always been held by the Nationals or Liberals, challenges from independents and One Nation have created a four-way contest for the seat.

Prominent independent Michelle Milthorpe, who came second in the 2025 election, is running in the byelection. She has narrowed the margin to just 6.2 per cent in what is normally a safe Coalition seat.

One Nation, which has been surging in opinion polls and outperforming the opposition, will also contest the seat. It is yet to pick a candidate.

Pollster Roy Morgan found 22 per cent primary support for One Nation in its most recent national poll, released on Monday – up a further 1.5 percentage points on the previous week.

It had Labor on  30.5 per cent (down 0.5 percentage points), the Coalition on 23.5 per cent (also down 0.5 percentage points).

Roy Morgan’s two-party preferred figures still had Labor well ahead of the Coalition, at 56 per cent compared to 44 per cent.

The Nationals have not contested Farrer since it was won by Ley in 2001. Her resignation allows them to take a fresh run at it.

Labor has not decided if it will run a challenger in the seat, although it is considered unlikely to do so.

The Australian reports that high-profile independent NSW MP Helen Dalton is also considering entering the race. Her state seat of Murray partly overlaps the federal electorate, and she would have to quit the NSW Parliament for a federal campaign.

Dalton confirmed to local media several weeks ago that One Nation had approached her to be its candidate in Farrer.

“I can confirm that Helen Dalton has been in discussions with Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce regarding the Farrer byelection,” a spokesperson told the Riverina Region.

“Helen will always put the needs and interests of her electorate first.”

Dalton is yet to confirm a decision.

“I understand that the people of my region want their voices to be heard, and whatever I decide to do, I will be doing it to make sure their voices are a lot louder,” she said.

“While the calls for me to run are heartfelt, I need to make sure that whatever I do, it will give the people of my region the best possible representation.

“That might be in federal politics, or it might be in state politics.”

Voters have until April 8 to update their details with the Australian Electoral Commission. Formal candidate nominations close on April 13.

-with AAP