Two people have so far have put their names forward to be candidates for the Liberals in Delta South in the next provincial election, but that list may end up shrinking.

Delta Chamber of Commerce president and former Delta school board chair Kelly Guichon, who announced last summer her interest in the nomination, has been joined by Tsawwassen resident Bruce Fougner, who runs a Vancouver travel agency.

David Fredricksen, vice-president of the Delta South Liberal riding association, told the Optimist the group is hoping to have a candidate selection meeting in mid-October, but a date has not been finalized. Other candidates might also come forward by then, he noted.

The riding association will first hold its annual general meeting in a couple of weeks, but that gathering won't be to select a candidate.

The B.C. Liberals announced this week they'd be holding a series of candidate selection meetings over the next couple of weeks in almost a dozen ridings for MLAs that plan to return.

Meantime, by the time the party gets around to selecting its candidate here, Guichon's name could be gone.

Noting she would have preferred a meeting to have been held in Delta South already, Guichon told the Optimist it's difficult to keep waiting, so there's a possibility she might not end up running. She's still interested but is also reviewing a number of options available to her in the private sector, she noted.

"I'm certainly not saying yes or no right now, but I will know better by the end of next week," she said. "If it turns out that it's not this time, I'm certainly not going to say never."

On the provincial scene, the optics certainly don't look good for the ruling Liberals as several veteran MLAs this week announced they won't be running in next year's election. Premier Christy Clark downplayed the loss, saying it gives her government a chance to renew.

Kevin Falcon stepped down as finance minister and announced he won't be running again. He was soon joined by Education Minister George Abbott, parliamentary secretary John Les and Children's Minister Mary McNeil.

The party had earlier been stung by the loss of MLA John van Dongen, who defected to the fledging BC Conservatives.

Responding to the latest Liberal departures, Conservative leader John Cummins said it's evident both the government and party are in turmoil.

"In part that is because of internal dissension, but, more importantly, it is because British Columbians desire a fundamental change in how our province is governed, and a change in the government," he said.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives' plan for Delta South is still not clear.

Cummins, the former highly popular Conservative MP for Delta-Richmond East, in an interview several months ago said he told Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington she should remain an independent, until at least the next election, because that's why residents voted for her.

As far as speculation the Conservatives are courting her and that she may join their ranks by the next election, Huntington earlier this summer said unless "something absolutely compelling" occurs she sees herself remaining an independent.

"I believe in what I've accomplished as an independent and I believe that we are freed from the constraints of party discipline. Right now, this province needs honesty and independence in that house. It needs people that can speak out on the issues," she told the Optimist at the time.

The right-leaning Huntington narrowly beat the Liberals' Wally Oppal in the last election, thanks in part to strategic voting by NDP supporters. If she runs on her own again, she could find herself up against another Liberal, the NDP as well as a Conservative candidate.

The New Democrats have already selected Nic Slater as their candidate in the riding. Saying they looked at possible vote splitting scenarios, he told the Optimist earlier that they believe they have a good chance of winning in Delta South.

The next election is scheduled for May 14, 2013.