The ruling party's Sandys North branch will decide tonight on their nominee for the district's upcoming by-elections.

Party officials say membership has grown to over 200, up from about 60 just a week or two ago. Nine people are vying for the nomination which will be decided by way of voting at Sandys Middle School.

Campaign chairman Dennis Lister said he will be stressing to the members after tonight's vote that regardless of whether their preferred candidate is chosen they should leave the room as a "united front to fight a campaign against the UBP for constituency 36".

He said he did not expect the contest to reflect the internal divisions of the party that were so apparent six months ago when then Premier Jennifer Smith was ousted from the leadership position. "Sandys has always stood as a united branch. Even when we had dual seats we've always worked as a parish rather than branch. I don't divide any of my branch into camps," Mr. Lister said.

"Since election night all five branches have continued to function together as we've done in the past. There has been no internal struggle. Somerset is solid, is and always will be."

The party's Public Relations Officer, Scott Simmons, said that the winner of tonight's contest will be the one who has spent the time and energy to assess the constituents, campaign and register their supporters as members. He added that they had not been discouraged from talking to the media about their intentions and motivations for running for office, and the party was evolving a system of primaries to decide on candidates for elective office.

"What is positive about this new understanding with individuals who decide to run for a political party is you get the political support and you go and garner it and it works. It mirrors our northern neighbours ? you get the constituents, you measure support and you secure them as members, so the person who does that successfully is the person who actually wins," he said.

"Then the question is asked 'is that person the appropriate person ?', that is the question that the party will have to answer.

"That is the question that the people will have to answer but we know that in the end the people will win." He said it was fair comment to say that the party was moving towards "the UBP system of conducting primaries".

"I believe we are and it is fair. It is fair for people to run for party and then for natural office and this is the process that exists ? that individuals put themselves forward and are elected."

Tonight's voting is between College administrator Eugenie Simmons, former Housing Minister David Burch, Melvin Simmons, corporate trainer Dawn Simmons, Ellen-Kate Horton, Government Senate Leader and Legislative Affairs Minister Michael Scott, Kenneth (Pop) Simmons, taxi driver Mark Bean, and contractor Rodney Smith.