Palmer United Party scrutineers are challenging and rechallenging thousands of votes in the Queensland seat of Fairfax in what some commentators have suggested is a calculated abuse of the electoral process.

More than half of the 89,176 votes cast in Fairfax for the federal election have been challenged since the recount of the seat began on October 3 after PUP leader Clive Palmer finished just seven votes ahead of the Liberal National Party's Ted O'Brien.

Clive Palmer. Credit:Michelle Smith

While the LNP is also challenging ballot papers, the Australian Electoral Commission says the ''vast majority'' of challenges have come from PUP.

ABC election analyst Antony Green said the level of PUP challenges suggested a ''calculated abuse of the process'' in the Fairfax recount.