SUSPICIONS have been raised that one of the most active social media commentators in the lead up to Saturday’s Orange City Council election is a nothing more than a fake account.

A profile in the name of Michael Johns has been commenting on election stories and posts on Facebook – including on the Central Western Daily’s page – in the run in to Saturday’s hotly-contested poll.

In multiple posts, Mr Johns identifies the candidates he will or will not be voting for in both the general council and mayoral polls.

There is no Michael Johns registered to vote in Orange on the NSW Electoral Roll.

The account has been prolific in commenting on social media posts related to the city’s election.

In one comment posted under a story about election candidate and former deputy mayor Glenn Taylor, Mr Johns wrote “you didnt [sic] get your paperwork right and chucked a tanty [sic]. the first thing you did istry [sic] to take Cr kevin [sic] Duffy out”.

In a different Facebook post Mr Johns described mayoral candidate Jeff Whitton’s announcement he would like to establish a hot mix plant in the city as “gasping [sic] at straws”.

People responding to Mr John’s comments on Facebook posts have alleged the account is a fake.

On April 21, 2016 the Central Western Daily received a Facebook message from Mr Johns asking for the newspaper to “update all the news on your Facebook page”.

In a later message Mr Johns said the reason he wanted the stories uploaded to the Facebook page was because “Facebook is faster and quicker to get into and not many people respond through Discus”, which is the program the Central Western Daily uses to moderate its website comments.

On Sunday the Central Western Daily used the same Facebook chat thread to ask Mr Johns if he would be available to answer some questions. He is yet to reply to that request.

Mr Johns’ profile says he both lives in and is from Orange, and is a welder by trade.

It also states he was born on February 10, 1970 and that he is in a relationship that began some time in 2015. It does not specify who the relationship is with.

There have been six photos uploaded to the profile, three of which are images of fictional television star Russell Coight.

Mr Johns is a member of several Orange-based Facebook groups, including ‘Orange NSW Buy/Sell/Swap’ and ‘Spread the word in Orange’.

The Central Western Daily would like to invite Mr Johns to come into our office at 190 Lords Place to clear up this matter.