Clive Palmer has extended his lead in the race for Fairfax, with the latest count showing he is 98 votes ahead of LNP rival Ted O'Brien.
However the mining magnate will need to extend his lead further if he is to avoid a recount.
If the margin of votes at the completion of the distribution of preferences is less than 100, a recount will be automatically triggered.
Postal votes have been flowing to Mr O'Brien, however Mr Palmer managed to increase his lead from three votes on Wednesday night to 98 votes on Thursday afternoon.
Counting in the seesawing contest is expected to wind-up on Saturday after the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) agreed to deal with irregularities in the count.
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Mr Palmer hasn't been happy with the count and at one stage sought an injunction to stop counting in the Sunshine Coast seat.
Federal court judge John Dowsett was not required to rule on granting an injunction on Monday because the electoral commission agreed in court to Mr Palmer's requests to sort the ballot papers at each booth again and label them correctly.
