Former List MP and hairdresser Ria Bond has stepped up as the latest candidate to contest the Invercargill mayoralty this spring. 

She joins former current Invercargill City Council deputy mayor Rebecca Amundsen and longstanding ICC councillor and former deputy mayor Darren Ludlow as the now third confirmed challenger to New Zealand's longest serving mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt in October's election.

Ms Bond previously served in central government, where she was List MP for New Zealand First during the last Government.

She said she had been thinking about running for the top position at the ICC for 10 or 15 years, but said the right time was now.

Her own leadership experience includes becoming the national president of the New Zealand Association of Registered Hairdressers and sitting on the directors board of an industry training organisation. A Rotarian as well, she said she was about to become the next president for the Invercargill Rotary Club.