INDEPENDENT candidate Phil Cox will be hoping last is lucky, with his name allocated to the bottom of the New England ballot paper.
The city solicitor’s number was drawn last on Friday, with the prized top spot going to Tenterfield-based Online Direct Democracy candidate Robert Walker.
The coveted position was determined after a blindfolded Australian Electoral Commission staff member drew his number out of the container, which was spun by a separate staff member.
Mr Walker and Mr Cox are two of 10 candidates vying for the seat, along with incumbent Nationals candidate and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and former New England MP Tony Windsor.
There are no female candidates running for New England. Christian Democratic Party’s Stan Colefax will come second on the ballot paper, followed by CountryMinded’s David Mailler, Peter Whelan for the Liberal Democrats and Labor’s David Ewings.
Independent Rob Taber will be sixth on the list, followed by Mr Windsor, Mr Joyce and Greens’ flag bearer Mercurius Goldstein.
Despite being at the bottom of the list, Mr Cox was upbeat about his number.
“I’ve topped the field getting 10 out of 10,” he said.
The draw was held in the city’s Australian Electoral Commission office, with candidates and supporters squeezing into the room.
