The House of Keys will elect a new member of the Legislative Council today (Thursday).

There are three candidates vying to fill the vacant seat in the upper chamber of Tynwald, which arose when Tony Wild resigned as an MLC, 14 months after being convicted of drinking and driving.

For the first time, candidates have required the names of two additional supporters, as well as a proposer and seconder, to have their name put forward.

In another first, it will the public will know how each MHK voted. Previously, only the result was known and the vote was taken in secret.

The three nominees are:

Solicitor Jane Poole-Wilson, nominated by Garff MHK Daphne Caine, seconded by Middle MHK Bill Shimmins and supported by Middle MHK Howard Quayle (the chief minister) and Garff MHK Martyn Perkins.

Liberal Vannin candidate Paul Beckett, another lawyer, nominated and seconded by LibVannin members Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft and Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper. The other Liberal Vannin member in the Keys, Onchan MHK Julie Edge, is one of the named supporters, with the other being Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse.

Former police officer Alan Wright, now working at the Land Registry, nominated by Glenfaba and Peel MHK Geoffrey Boot and seconded by his constituency colleague Ray Harmer. Ayre and Michael MHK Tim Baker and Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Graham Cregeen are named as his supporters.

The upper branch of Tynwald, the Legislative Council, is elected by MHKs rather than receiving a direct mandate from the electorate. In addition to the eight MLCs elected by the House of Keys - normally in batches of four to serve five-year terms - the Bishop also sits and has a vote in the Legislative Council, which is chaired by the President of Tynwald.

Whoever is successful does not have a guaranteed longevity in Tynwald however. They will serve the remainder of Mr Wild’s term of office, which was due to expire at the end of next February, before having to stand again.

In addition, the future of the Legislative Council in its current form will come under scrutiny again next month when the Lisvane report on Tynwald reform is debated. One of the suggestions is that MLCs should not be members of government departments, but some may want reform to go further.

Legislative Council members vote on legislation in the upper branch and also take a full part in Tynwald matters.

The House of Keys’ special sitting to elect the new MLC will take place at 2.30pm on Thursday.