Coalition senator Ian Macdonald has moved to save his Senate seat by urging voters to ignore his party's instructions this election, and instead vote below the line.
Last year, the north Queensland Liberal-National senator was relegated to the unwinnable fourth spot on the LNP's Senate ticket.
Senator Macdonald said the decision came as a surprise, given his regional status as the only senator from north Queensland.
Three candidates from Brisbane — Paul Scarr, Susan McDonald and Gerard Rennick — were preferenced above him on the ticket.
"Naturally enough, I was disappointed," Senator Macdonald said.
"More importantly, people in the north were disappointed, and it was my intention when I did decide to leave Parliament, I'd be replaced by someone from the north."
Senator Macdonald has now moved to take matters into his own hands, sending out tens of thousands of letters and emails to Queensland residents.
It urged them to avoid voting above the line, where the party's preferences dictate who gains the Senate spot.
"Now I am seeking your help," the letter reads.
"For the next election, my party has placed me number 4 on its ticket after three Brisbane candidates, none of whom have any connection with local government.
"This means that voting above the black line on the Senate ballot paper for the candidates chosen by the party, will make it difficult for me to be re-elected to continue my fight for councils.
"I will, however, be one step closer to re-election if you vote below the black line for me on the Senate ballot paper [the big white one] giving me your number 1 vote."
The move follows the lead of his Coalition colleague Jim Molan, who was relegated to the unwinnable third position on the Liberal Senate ticket by the New South Wales branch in November.
His supporters have since printed his own how-to-vote cards, also encouraging New South Wales residents to vote below the line.
