David Burnside (Ulster Unionist Party)
David Burnside (48), re-emerged into the political limelight in March this year by forcing the adoption of an Ulster Unionist Council motion seeking to link sharing government with Sinn Fein to the retention of the RUC name, a move which caused trouble for David Trimble.
A former Vanguard stalwart of the 1970s, Mr Burnside is a London-based PR consultant with friends in high places, particularly in the upper echelons of Toryism. He says he will use these contacts to benefit unionism. Many in the pro-Trimble camp fear the Ballymoney man's ultimate goal is to eventually oust the party leader.
Rev William McCrea (DUP)
The gospel-singing DUP candidate lost his Mid-Ulster Westminster seat to Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness three years ago.
But Mr McCrea (52) has maintained a high political profile since winning an Assembly seat for Mid-Ulster in 1998.
He has courted controversy throughout his career.
He was imprisoned for six months in 1971 for riotous behaviour in Dungiven, Co Derry, and officiated at the funeral of the murdered LVF leader, Billy Wright in 1997.
Staunchly anti-agreement, the Free Presbyterian minister is campaigning on the slogan: "Your chance to put things right."
Donovan McClelland (SDLP)
Donovan McClelland (51) joined the SDLP in 1979. A native of south Antrim, he was first elected to Antrim Borough Council in 1989. In 1998 he became the first nationalist deputy mayor of the borough.
He currently represents South Antrim in the Assembly and is chairman of its Committee on Standards and Privileges, as well as deputy speaker. He previously contested Westminster elections for South Antrim in 1987, 1992 and 1997, losing each time to the late Clifford Forsythe of the UUP.
David Ford (Alliance Party)
The Alliance Party spokesman on agriculture, Mr David Ford (49) has served on Antrim Borough Council since 1993 and was the party's general secretary from 1990 to 1998. He was also a senior member of the party's talks team.
The father of four has indicated he would give up his seat in the Assembly to concentrate on parliamentary duties if elected to Westminster. A strong supporter of the agreement, Mr Ford is firmly committed to greater power being devolved to Northern Ireland.
Martin Meehan (Sinn Fein)
He spent over 20 years in prison for IRA offences during the Troubles, but since his last release in 1994 Mr Meehan (55) has identified himself as a firm supporter of the Belfast Agreement. He has been politically active in north Belfast since then and contested South Antrim during the Assembly election two years ago. The only Sinn Fein candidate in 1998, he polled 3,226 votes and hopes to improve on that figure substantially.
David Collins (Natural Law Party)
David Collins (47) holds a diploma in art and design and has taught transcendental meditation in Belfast since 1989. He contested the East Belfast seat in the general election of 1997, winning 70 votes, and the Assembly elections of 1998 for the same constituency, winning 22 votes.
He is broadly pro-agreement and believes that scientific research proves peace can be achieved in Northern Ireland by establishing a permanent Coherence-Creating Group of 200 people trained in transcendental meditation and yogic flying.