Key seats in focus after Vic ballot draw

Not all political candidates need luck but those in marginal seats have found a spot of serendipity in the form of the Victorian election ballot draw.

All 88 lower house seats and eight upper house regions had their ballots drawn for the November 26 poll on Friday afternoon after nominations closed.

The process sets the order candidates' names appear on voting forms and was conducted by a random number generator.

Generally, it is considered an advantage to be drawn first as some voters are known to cast a "donkey vote", numbering their ballot in descending order.

But it's unclear exactly how much of an effect it has on the final outcome.

Premier Daniel Andrews was drawn first for his safe Labor seat of Mulgrave in Melbourne's southeast, while Opposition Leader Matthew Guy grabbed fifth spot on Bulleen's ballot.

In Hastings, ranked the most marginal in the state by the Victorian Electoral Commission after last year's electoral boundaries redistribution, former Dancing with the Stars judge turned Labor candidate Paul Mercurio was drawn third. 

His name will be listed four ahead of Liberal hopeful Briony Hutton, who is vying to replace retiring MP Neale Burgess in the Mornington Peninsula seat.

Teal independent Nomi Kaltmann secured top billing in Caulfield, held by Liberal deputy leader David Southwick but notionally Labor's on a 0.2 per cent margin after the redistribution.

Mr Southwick was ordered fifth, ahead of Labor's candidate Lior Harel.

Unable to attend his local draw after testing positive for COVID-19, retired principal and Labor MP John Kennedy claimed second spot for the nearby seat of Hawthorn.

While Mr Kennedy is the incumbent, pollsters increasingly suggest Hawthorn is shaping as a two-way content between teal independent Melissa Lowe and Liberal hopeful John Pesutto.

The pair will be listed fifth and seventh respectively on the Hawthorn ballot.

In a boon for fellow teal candidate Sophie Torney, she was drawn first in the neighbouring seat of Kew, which Liberal MP Tim Smith is not recontesting after drunkenly crashing his car into a Hawthorn property's fence last year.

The Liberals pick to replace him, Jess Wilson, was ordered sixth among the list of eight candidates.

A record number of candidates have nominated for the 2022 Victorian state election, including 740 for the lower house and 454 for the upper house.

How-to-vote cards can be submitted by parties and candidates from Monday, the same day as early voting begins.

Electoral Commissioner Warwick Gately stressed how-to-vote cards are only a suggestion and urged early voters to start preparing.

"If you're planning to vote during the early voting period, have a look at who has nominated for your district and region and start thinking about your preferences," Mr Gately said.