With 38.5 per cent of the expected 30,109 votes counted, Jason Hamling is leading the poll with 21.5 per cent, a 3.6 per cent advantage over Tony Mileto (17.9 per cent) with Kevin Duffy rounding out the top three on 16.7 per cent.

All three were strong supporters of the sports stadium project, having served on the last council which rubber-stamped the plan to redevelop Jack Braham Park and part of the Bloomfield golf course into a state-of-the-art sporting facility.

Cr Hamling, who campaigned on a sporting and family based platform, said while the early signs were promising he was a long way from expecting to be named Orange's next civic leader around December 20.

He agreed the count as it stands was a nod to the progression of the sports precinct project.

"Yesterday [Saturday] when I was walking around the booths the question I was always asked was 'what's going on with the stadium, has is stalled'."

"If we want to go by the votes, finishing the stadium is what people want."

Counting in the mayoral and councillor elections will restart on Monday morning. The iVote portal closes at 6pm on Monday while the final day for postal votes is December 17 at 6pm.

While conceding Cr Hamling has an advanage, Cr Mileto said he was staying optimistic.

"In saying that, I couldn't have worked and my team couldn't have worked harder. If that's the way it pans out then that's how it is," he said.

"I'm not done and dusted, obviously I'd like to be closer than I am, and just one third's been counted but at the end of the day I'm comfortable I've done everything I could have."

Currently in fourth position is Greens candidate Neil Jones. Mr Jones, a former councillor, has 16.3 per cent of the counted votes.

* 648 informal votes

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