Ferny Grove count goes on under cloud

Votes continue to be counted in Ferny Grove as the possibility of a by-election in the seat looms and the major parties start crunching the numbers needed to form government.

An electoral commission statement on Wednesday afternoon said it was getting legal advice about Palmer United Party candidate Mark Taverner, who was ruled ineligible following reports he was an undischarged bankrupt.

Commissioner Walter van der Merwe would continue to consider the body's legal position, it said.

With 83 per cent of votes counted, Labor's Mark Furner leads the LNP's Dale Shuttleworth by 442 votes in the state electorate in northwest Brisbane.

But it's possible the results could be challenged in the Court of Disputed Returns, resulting in a by-election.

Liberal National president Bruce McIver told ABC Radio that course of action was the "fairest" solution.

"I understand that law advice will be forthcoming over the next period and whether it is a court that decides, or who decides, I am not sure."

"But I think a by-election would be the most likely outcome."

Meanwhile, the electoral commission's Gympie office was put into lockdown after a suspicious powder was discovered in the post.

The package has been contained and police are at the scene.

The LNP's Tony Perrett has safely retained Gympie after gaining almost twice as many first preference votes as Labor's Stephen Meredith.