The electorate is one to be watched on July 2 as Cowper MP and The Nationals’ candidate Luke Hartsuyker and former Lyne MP and independent candidate Rob Oakeshott go head-to-head.

Online bookmaker Sportsbet has Mr Hartsuyker ahead at $1.50 and Mr Oakeshott at $2.50.

The other candidates are the Christian Democratic Party’s Wayne Lawrence, Michael Gough from the Citizens Electoral Council, Carol Vernon from The Greens, Labor’s Damian Wood and independent candidate John Arkan.

Mr Hartsuyker said his campaign was very much based around the need for stability, and growth and jobs.

“I think there is a very strong wish among the community for stability and not to risk the independents and not to risk them creating chaos as they did with the former Labor/Greens/independent alliance,” he said.

He said Cowper needed a seat at the table of government.

“To vote for an independent is to put Cowper in the wilderness for three years,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

Mr Oakeshott said he offered an alternative and worked hard on results.

The former independent MP announced his candidacy on the day of the ballot draw.

He said there was the before and after contrast which was the story of political competition for the whole community to see.

Mr Oakeshott said if people voted for The Nationals, nothing changed.

“If you don’t make change at the ballot box, nothing will change as far as opportunities being missed for growing the community and better representation within parliament,” he said.

Mr Hartsuyker, who was elected to parliament in 2001, holds the seat with a margin of about 13 per cent.