Incumbent Nationals MP Kevin Anderson came in at second, followed by the Greens' Robin Gunning, Country Labor's Stephen Mears, Animal Justice Party's Emma Hall and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers' Jeff Bacon.

Cr Rodda said he was "very excited" with the number one spot, which was "a good position to be in".

"But in saying that, in the recent local government elections I was fifth and people still managed to find me," he said.

"It might help with those people who are disillusioned with compulsory voting, who just want to vote and get out of there, but the donkey vote doesn't exist like it used to.

"I might jag some votes, but I believe voters in this electorate are intelligent and they know who they want."

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Mr Anderson wasn't put off by the number two position.

"It's just good to be on the ballot paper," he said.

"It's a great feeling to be in the race. We're excited and really looking forward to the next couple of weeks.

"We will be working really hard right up until the polls close on March 23."

Mr Mears had a similar view. "Number one usually gets a jump, and the rest is a jumble," he said.

"I've been getting a really positive reaction and there is a feeling of necessary change across the electorate."

Mr Bacon wasn't concerned by pulling the last spot, and felt "quietly confident".

"I feel like the top and bottom spots are good, that way you're not tangled up in the middle," Mr Bacon said.

"All the people I've been talking to are not happy with the Nationals. They want to talk about policies and at the end of the conversation, they're happy they've got a conservative alternative.

"We've been likened to what the Nationals used to be like 30 years ago."

Pre-polling opens in Tamworth on Monday, March 11, at 247 Peel Street. The NSW Electoral Commission predicts up to 12,000 people will vote at the pre-polling booth.

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