A battle is brewing between an eastern Alberta Conservative riding association and the party's national council.

The Vegreville-Wainwright Conservative riding association wants a nomination race before the next election. But a new nomination process could prevent that from happening.

Under the new system, party members are sent a ballot asking whether they think a nomination meeting is necessary before the next election. Two-thirds of the members need to vote in favour of having a nomination race, or the incumbent MP is acclaimed as the candidate.

That process isn't going over well in the Vegreville-Wainwright riding.

Danny Hozack, the president of the riding association, said they have spent money on newspaper ads, letters and phone calls to make sure they reach every member.

"We can't think of any reason why we wouldn't want to have an election or why we wouldn't want to have a nomination," he said.

"We're trying to point that out to people, and we're trying to call our membership and just touch base with them to not only tell them what we believe, but to ask them what they think about this situation."

Hozack said the nomination process is important to the future of the party and to democracy.