And in the end, Cr Jason Hamling came out as the first candidate on the mayoral ticket, while Cr Tony Mileto's ticket will take the 'A' spot on the ballot for the 11 positions on Orange City Council.

Cr Hamling was philosophical about drawing the first box.

"Does it make a difference? I don't know," he said. "I'd like to think people have made a decision before they get to the polling booth."

Expected to be completed by 10.30am the day was drawn out by a very sluggish NSW Electoral Commission website with electoral office staff also in the dark as to the cause of the delay, for which no explanation was forthcoming. In the end, Orange's ballots were completed just after 2.30pm.

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Cr Mileto was one of the patient ones, staying to witness the ballot draw.

"It's always comforting to be the A team," Cr Mileto said.

"But I think Orange voters vote with their heads and reward those people who have been most proactive in the community."

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Following Cr Mileto's team is Cr Jeff Whitton's ticket, while new-comer Frances Kinghorne's group is next.

The tickets of Dr Steve Peterson, Melanie McDonell and Cr Kevin Duffy are next, followed by the Shooters Fishers and Farmers, led by Glenn Floyd, while the tickets of Cr Hamling and newcomer Gerald Power are next.

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The Greens ticket, led by Dr David Mallard, is the final group at J.

Like Cr Mileto, Dr Mallard wasn't concerned at being at the end of the ballot.

Of the ungrouped candidates for council, or those running by themselves, Lesley Smith takes the A spot from Cr Scott Munro. Newcomers Josh Girlie-Bennett, Amanda Spalding and Geoff Naughton complete the list which is placed on the far right of the ballot.

On the separate mayoral ballot, newcomer Amanda Spalding will be placed second behind Cr Hamling.

Greens candidate Neil Jones is next followed by Cr Jeff Whitton, Cr Kevin Duffy, Lesley Smith and finally, Cr Mileto.

"I think that's a pretty good position," Ms Spalding, who also stayed for the duration of the draw, said.

"Barrier two is always good in the Melbourne Cup but you'd like to think that people will know who they're voting for [no matter what the position on the ballot]."

Orange goes to the polls on December 4 from 8am to 6pm.

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