Moderates and conservatives within the Canberra Liberals will face off in a high stakes vote next week that will decide who fills the empty chair that was elected party president last year.
The result will be interpreted by party insiders as an indication of how much influence conservative members can still wield.
Arthur Potter, who is aligned with the party's conservative flank and served as president between 2013 and 2017, is vying for the position.
Mr Potter was defeated by a single vote in a vice-presidency ballot in 2022 despite having the support of Zed Seselja.
But moderates within the party have urged members to back Nick Tyrell, the GoBoat founder, to serve as president.
Mr Tyrell was expected to run for party president at the annual general meeting, held in December, where John Cziesla was dumped from the position.
The Menzies Group, which includes leading moderate figures within the party, has encouraged its supporters to vote for Mr Tyrell.
"The stakes here are very high; the AGM was characterised in the local media in November as a cleanout of the conservatives in the local party and a win for Elizabeth Lee - something which creates a positive climate for our prospects for the October Legislative Assembly election," the group told supporters in an email seen by The Canberra Times.
"Conversely, if Nick Tyrell fails it will be seen (justifiably) as the conservatives taking back control of the party - a very unhelpful message."
No side of the party is confident of the advantage at Wednesday's meeting, which is expected to be largely determined by which side can garner enough supporters to attend the meeting.
Mr Cziesla, a long-time ally of Mr Seselja, was defeated by an empty chair, 117 votes to 123, during the fiery meeting last year. He had been president since 2017.
Mr Cziesla is understood not to have had the support of Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee but was backed by Jeremy Hanson.
Mr Hanson has since lost the deputy leadership of the Canberra Liberals in a snap party room ballot, and was moved to the backbench in a reshuffle in December.
Mr Cziesla unsuccessfully appealed the result of the ballot. Megan Fox, who was elected vice president with backing from the moderates, has been acting president since Mr Cziesla's ousting.
The party has long been dominated by its conservative flank, however insiders say the departure of Mr Seselja, who has moved over the border and lost a NSW Senate preselection battle, has allowed the party to begin moving towards the centre.
"It was the turning of the tide," one party member present at the annual general meeting said. "This is a huge denunciation of the angry Zed mob."
Another member present said it was "hugely significant" and an indication the party had shifted.
