The Tasmanian Liberals' third pick for Senate preselection says she needs to be "realistic" about her chances federally, so is vying for the position of Hobart Lord Mayor first.
Hobart alderman Tanya Denison is third on the Tasmanian Liberal Senate ticket for the next election, after Senator Richard Colbeck and former Young Liberal President Claire Chandler.
The federal election will be held in the first half of next year, but Ms Denison is also hoping to be re-elected to Hobart City Council and made Lord Mayor at next month's local government elections.
"I do need to be realistic about my chance from number three on the ticket ... in all likelihood I would be on council for quite some time," Ms Denison said.
Ms Denison said if she were elected to the Senate she would stand down from council and the position of Lord Mayor, if she held it.
"The Senate is my priority but I'm sure as Lord Mayor I could do a lot of good work in the meantime," she said.
There is recent history of Tasmanian local government members being elected to the Senate.
In February, the High Court found Devonport Mayor Steve Martin was eligible to replace Jacqui Lambie in the Senate.
The court held that Mr Martin's roles as councillor and mayor were not an "office of profit under the crown" — a disqualification under section 44 of the constitution.
Mr Martin later resigned from his position because of "time constraints".
Paul Calvert was a Clarence councillor when he was elected to the Senate for the Liberal Party in 1987.
Electoral analyst Kevin Bonham said the Steve Martin case showed Ms Denison would be well within her rights to run for, and serve in, the Senate while still a member of council.
But Mr Bonham said it had been unusual for politicians to serve on council and in the Senate at the same time.
"Largely for reasons of the workload, and also because the salary of a councillor is not very large," Mr Bonham said.
"But it may be that it becomes more common now that the High Court has cleared it as being allowed."
Mr Bonham said Ms Denison may not have to make a choice between council and the Senate, as it would be difficult for her to win a Senate seat from third position on the party ticket anyway.
"Not only because [the Liberals] have trouble getting their vote high enough to get over Labor, but also competition from the Greens and Jacqui Lambie who, based on the results from last time, would be the two front runners for the final positions."
There are more than 20 people vying for a spot on Hobart City Council, including eleven declared candidates for Hobart Lord Mayor.
Nominations for all local government elections close on Monday September 24th, and polling will take place between October 8th and 30th.
