Count continues in knife-edge Orange poll

Vote counting to determine the winner of last weekend's Orange by-election is expected to resume on Friday.

The political fallout from the poll was swift, with former Nationals leader Troy Grant stepping down from his post following a significant swing away from the party in what was once a safe seat.

But six days after the vote, no result has yet been declared in the knife-edge battle.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Phil Donato had been widely expected to claim the regional seat but on Thursday evening his opponent, Nationals candidate Scott Barrett, appeared to be ahead by a just a few dozen votes.

"We are not in a position to declare a result of the Orange by-election today," the Shooters party said in a statement on Thursday.

"Yesterday, at the close of counting the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party was 84 votes ahead of the National Party.

"After distribution of preferences at the conclusion of counting today we appear to be behind the National Party by 66 votes."

The party said it believed "there is an error in today's count by a factor of 100 votes" and that counting would resume at 9am on Friday.