VOTING in Parkes will proceed as normal, despite late twists in the election campaign in which a candidate looked to be out of the race.
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Candidate David Paull said this morning he was still contesting the federal election, despite standing down as a Greens candidate over his controversial Port Arthur massacre comments.
Mr Paull said he would now stand as an independent - although, with early voting having been under way for weeks and official polling set for Saturday, the ballot papers will remain unchanged and he will still appear as a Green.
"Technically now I am an independent candidate for Parkes, even though I may still have a Greens designation on the voting form," Mr Paull said on Facebook.
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In the Facebook comments that landed him in hot water early this week, Mr Paull had written he did not believe Martin Bryant was responsible for the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
The incident, in which 35 people died, looked "like an operation designed for psychological manipulation of the general population", he wrote.
"There is only one sure thing in my mind - Bryant didn't do it and so a great crime on the Australian people was committed."
The Australian Electoral Commission told the NVI that, even though some federal candidates had pulled out altogether, ballot papers would not be re-printed or altered in any way.
"Electors still fill out the ballot papers as normal [numbering every box]," he said.
The Greens announced on Tuesday they would take down all campaign material in Mr Paull's name, and that he had bowed out to avoid detracting from their work.
"David absolutely rejects the views he is quoted as supporting, but has stood down so that he does not become a distraction from the important issues The Greens are focused on," a party spokesman said.
'Incredibly embarrassed'
On Tuesday, Mr Paull distanced himself from the online comments.
He said he did not believe Port Arthur was a conspiracy, nor did he have any doubt Bryant was guilty.
"I support The Greens' policies on gun control 100 per cent," he said.
"I was only ever interested in that Facebook group to investigate the views of Port Arthur conspiracy theorists.
"I made those comments after an admin asked new members to justify their presence in the group.
"I am incredibly embarrassed that these posts have become public and I apologise for misrepresenting myself in this way."
Mr Paull said this morning he didn't think "the tragedies of the past need rehashing like this in the public view".
Early choices
Almost 23,500 people have cast an early vote in Parkes - more than 20 per cent of the electorate - according to AEC figures.
The Gunnedah pre-polling booth has been open for only five days, but more than 3000 have already voted, or almost one-third of the town.
The situation is similar in the neighbouring New England electorate.
One in four residents there have already voted, with more than 28,400 people having visited the polls early.
Official polling opens at booths across the election at 8am on Saturday, closing at 6pm.