At a state level, political analysts say a hung parliament is the most likely result, though Premier Gladys Berejiklian must still retain some hope of leading a coalition government in its own right.

While there's plenty of interest in what's happening in the big end of town, Orange residents need only look in their own back yard to watch a very entertaining show unfold.

When Shooters, Fishers and Farmer's Phil Donato said on Friday that it had been a dirty campaign he wasn't wrong.

Signs have been defaced and posters have been pinched however things dropped to a new level on Thursday.

As gobsmacked bystanders looked on a public spat erupted at the Peisley Street pre-polling station between Nationals campaign adviser Annie Hazelton, the daughter of candidate Kate Hazelton, and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party representatives including state director Filip Despotoski.

Things became so heated that the police were called, although no charges were laid.

Of course it's not surprising to see tempers on the rise; the stakes are high.

In what will go down as one of the region's biggest political upsets, Mr Donato won the seat of Orange at the 2016 byelection, taking over what had long been seen as a Nationals' stronghold.

Since then the Nats have been determined to win the seat back although many party faithfuls must have been frustrated by the length of time it took for them to find a suitable candidate, only to have her resign and a replacement anointed relatively late in the campaign.

There's no doubt Kate Hazelton has had to work hard to raise her profile particularly as Mr Donato has earned a reputation as someone who turns up, frequently, at events and announcements all over his electorate.

However with the help of her friends in Sydney, Kate Hazelton has appeared at countless funding announcements; some new announcements, some re-announcements.

In the end it may not come down to how familiar voters are with the names on the ballots, it may simply come down to voters selecting the parties which best represent them.

We'll know all the answers soon enough.