Former Liberal Party member and Tony Abbott supporter, Marcus Cornish, who is running as an independent conservative in the crucial western Sydney seat of Lindsay, will preference Labor above the Liberal Party.

Key points: Independent candidate Marcus Cornish secured the top spot on the ticket in the Lindsay ballot draw

Independent candidate Marcus Cornish secured the top spot on the ticket in the Lindsay ballot draw Cornish accuses sitting Liberal member Fiona Scott of voting against Tony Abbott in spill

Cornish accuses sitting Liberal member Fiona Scott of voting against Tony Abbott in spill Scott holds the seat of Lindsay by a margin of 3 per cent

Mr Cornish sensationally resigned from the party on the first full day of campaigning and accused the incumbent Liberal MP Fiona Scott of stabbing Tony Abbott in the back by voting for Malcolm Turnbull in last year's leadership spill.

Mr Cornish, who is on Penrith Council, has listed the Labor Party seventh on preferences and the Liberal Party eighth, with the Christian Democratic Party and Australian Liberty Alliance in the number two and three positions.

There are 11 candidates contesting the seat and today Mr Cornish secured the top spot on the ticket in the ballot draw.

In a statement to 7:30 he confirmed his decision to preference against his old party.

"I personally want to see the Liberal Party retain government and control the Senate. However, in the seat of Lindsay I cannot ask the people of Penrith and Lindsay to preference a candidate that I lack trust in and would not preference myself."

Mr Cornish said he was a member of the Liberal Party for 12 years and his decision to run against his old party risks splitting the conservative vote in the seat.

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The Liberals hold the seat of Lindsay on a slim margin of 3 per cent.

Independent candidate Marcus Cornish secured top spot on the ticket in the Lindsay ballot draw.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said holding on to the seat is "critical" if the Government is to be re-elected.

Mr Cornish put the Liberal Party above Labor in his preferences for the Senate.

Fiona Scott has repeatedly declined to say who she voted for in the Liberal leadership ballot and said questions on the issue distracted from the Mr Turnbull's visit to the electorate in the first week of the campaign.

Since then Ms Scott's campaign has been boosted by visits from former prime minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Mr Cornish has campaigned against mosques in the local area and was suspended from the Liberal Party in February for circulating an email criticising Ms Scott and the wider party.