Australian County Alliance’s Steve Price will be second, followed by Independent Katrina Rainsford, Nationals candidate Emma Kealy and Labor’s Bob Scates.

Ms Beltz was the only candidate absent from the draw on Friday.

Mr Scates said last position was not ideal.

‘‘Lowan people are pretty smart and switched on and I hope some of them will vote for me,’’ he said.

A Fairfax-Ipsos poll released on Friday showed Labor leading the Coalition 56 per cent to 44 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, but Mr Scates said he was wary of declaring a victory for Labor.

He likened the poll to the racing style of front-running 1980s champion thoroughbred Vo Rogue.

‘‘It’s a bit like backing racehorses. You prefer to have your horse in front but you don’t always want a Vo Rogue,’’ he said.

‘‘Some of the seats, particularly in eastern Melbourne, are very close indeed and a handful of votes – 100 votes – could decide them.

‘‘Don’t think ‘it doesn’t really matter if I don’t vote because ‘x’ is going to win anyway’, or ‘I don’t like any of the candidates’.

‘‘Make a choice, read in the Wimmera Mail-Times and the other newspapers what the candidates have to say and make a good choice.’’

A delighted Dr Rainsford, in her third attempt at gaining a seat in parliament, revelled in her position on the ballot paper.

‘‘Three is my lucky number because I had three fantastic boys and then one for luck, which was our daughter,’’ she said.

Dr Rainsford said she would use the final two weeks of campaigning to continue talking about roads, rail, rates and repopulation.

She renewed her calls for Ms Kealy to attend a public candidates forum in a major population centre in the electorate.

‘‘Candidate Kealy has refused to make herself available in the major centres of Hamilton and Horsham and one has to ask why,’’ she said.

Ms Kealy said if she was provided with a serious proposal to attend a forum, she would consider it.

‘‘I’m extraordinarily busy,’’ she said.

‘‘If there were firm details about who would be co-ordinating it and who would be moderating it and an actual proposed time and venue to show some thought had gone into it, rather than using it as a wedge-point, then I’d be more than happy to look at my diary to see if I could make room.’’

She said she would use the next two weeks to attend further funding announcements.

Mr Price said he would continue his campaign theme of improving connectivity in Lowan.

‘‘I really want to make myself available to let people know  there is a choice and Australian Country Alliance is a genuine, legitimate alternative to the Nationals,’’ he said.

He echoed Dr Rainsford’s calls for a public forum.

Mr Scates said he would spend his time campaigning in Horsham, Hamilton and his home town of Murtoa.

Dr Rainsford, who will not direct preferences to any other candidate, challenged the Nationals to put Labor last and Labor to put the Nationals last.