Tony Abbott has placed ahead of main rival independent Zali Steggall on the federal election ballot paper for the Sydney seat of Warringah in what he's described as the fight of his life.
Mr Abbott and Ms Steggall were both on hand to watch the ballot draw on Wednesday in a crowded office in Manly.
Ms Steggall placed eighth, while the former prime minister was drawn in sixth spot.
The former prime minister holds the northern beaches electorate on a comfortable margin of 15.3 per cent, though Ms Steggall's high profile campaign is expected to erode Mr Abbott's primary vote.
Both candidates played down the importance of the draw and believe voters in Warringah will know who they want to vote for come May 18.
"The ballot paper is the ballot paper and as I said the electors are pretty smart and they'll navigate the ballot paper pretty well, I'm sure," Mr Abbott told reporters.
"I've been campaigning hard and obviously this is a very tight race and I'm in the fight of my life."
Ms Steggall compared the ballot to her time as an Olympic skier.
"I've been at the draw before in an Olympic Games race where you're really hoping to get that number one because you're going to have a clean course. This is about people choosing and focusing on policies," Ms Steggall told reporters.
She said action on climate change and addressing cost of living in Warringah were two of her top priorities.
The former Olympian condemned a planned advertising campaign by lobby group GetUp! targeting Tony Abbott, saying it was in poor taste.
The ad, which was pulled by the activist group earlier on Wednesday following backlash, depicted Mr Abbott dressed as a surf lifesaver refusing to rescue someone drowning at a beach.
A GetUp! spokesman said the organisation had "the greatest respect" for Australia's lifesavers, and apologised for the insensitivity of the ad.
Ms Steggall said political advertising needed to focus on policy.
"I don't approve of that kind of advertising. I think you need to focus on policies and not smear campaigns in relation to people," she said.
"That was of quite poor taste."
Mr Abbott described the ad as "unbelievably tacky" but added he took the extra attention he was receiving as a "backhanded compliment".
"I've been what I am for two decades-plus and I guess you change and grow as time goes by but the important things stay constant," he said.
"It's not about me, it's the lifesavers of Australia that they should be apologising to collectively."
Animal Justice Party candidate Heather Barnes placed first on the ballot, ahead of independent Susan Moylan-Coombs and Labor's Dean Harris.
Australian Associated Press
