Dutton and Albanese cast votes
Prime minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have both lodged their votes.
Dutton voted in his seat of Dickson at the Albany Creek state school in Brisbane with his wife, Kirilly, and sons, Harry and Tom. He’s held the seat since 2001.
Albanese was joined by his partner, Jodie, and son, Nathan, at a primary school in Marrickville, Sydney. The polling station is in his seat, Grayndler, which he’s held since 1996.
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\n It is unclear how this will translate into seats given the increase in the number of electorates that are three-way contests, rather than coming down to a fight between Labor and the Coalition. Pollster Shaun Ratcliff told Guardian Australia that the latest polls show the Coalition “going backwards” in a selection of key seats he has been tracking, after initial polls in February had the Coalition ahead.
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You can find more granular breakdowns of the polls, including by demography, on our tracking page.
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Somewhat further afield, Australians have already voted, Emily Wind reports:
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In the leadup to election day, Australians have cast their ballots in a number of remote locations and even from overseas – but none as far south as the 100-odd expeditioners currently working in Antarctica.
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Expeditioners working at Australia’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic stations were able to cast their vote by telephone – a process typically reserved for voters who are blind or have low vision – with no physical ballot booth setup this year.
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Voting opened on 22 April, with expeditioners able to vote early or on election day. But, unlike others, they won’t be fined if they do not vote, according to the Australian Electoral Commission.
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The AEC says Australians travelling to work in Antarctica need to register as an Antarctic elector before leaving the country – with “Antarctic” including the Australian Antarctic Territory, the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island, and a ship at sea in transit to or from Antarctica.
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Arrangements were put in place for expeditioners on the RSV Nuyina in case it arrived back later than scheduled (on 2 May, the day before the election).
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It is just past 8am here in Sydney, and the polling booths are officially open!
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Voters can lodge their ballots between 8am to 6pm today.
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For a refresher on when, where and how to vote, here is our 2025 voting guide with everything you need to know.
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Key events
Ben Doherty
They do politics differently in America
As far as I’m aware, no candidate in today’s Australian federal election has also nominated themselves to be pope (any baptised Catholic male is canonically eligible to be elected to the papacy. However, in practice (since 1378 anyway), the conclave always chooses a cardinal).
Also, Donald Trump is not Catholic.
This tweet is from the actual White House …
Sydney candidates post Airtasker ads for workers to hand out how-to-vote cards
Ben Doherty
Several candidates in Sydney – Australia’s most fiercely capitalistic city – have posted “handing out how-to-vote cards” ads on Airtasker, hoping to bolster their presence at polling booths – and, so the logic goes, their votes.
A perfunctory search of the service marketplace app revealed several candidates posted ads seeking gig economy workers for “Polling booth attendance”.
Most ads are a little coy about precisely whose electoral fortunes workers will benefit.
One from a “David S” asks for assistance handing out how-to-vote cards in Manly in the keenly contested, independent-held seat of Warringah. He set a task budget of $100.
The independent candidate for Reid, Steven Commerford, has put his name to his campaign’s $120 offer. “Wear comfy shoes,” the ad counsels. “T-shirt or cap provided.”
Another post offers $35 (with some negotiation apparent) to put up corflutes in and around Chatswood.
Trying the Uber Eats democracy sausage
Caitlin Cassidy
In a federal election first, Uber Eats is allowing customers in certain cities to order democracy sausages to their door, for “hardworking Australians” who “find themselves without access to a sausage” on 3 May.
Parts of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney have access to the promo, with $3.50 for every sausage donated to Australian Red Cross partners.
Unfortunately, Rafqa Touma was outside the delivery zone and was instead offered a bulk package of uncooked sausages – not really the same. I ordered a meat sausage with onion and sauce and a vegetarian sausage from the “Democracy Sausage Store” for $15.96, delivery included.
It took less than half an hour to arrive in green boxes labelled “democracy sausage delivered”. Inside was, unsurprisingly, a piece of white bread with a sausage, sauces in sachets and a ballot paper that ticked preferences for sauces, onion and variety of sausage. “Exercise your Democratic Bite,” the box told me.
The meat sausage was cold, while the vegetarian sausage tasted like sawdust. I gave the leftovers to my dog, who lapped it up eagerly and stained his snout with mustard.
Dutton and Albanese cast votes
Prime minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have both lodged their votes.
Dutton voted in his seat of Dickson at the Albany Creek state school in Brisbane with his wife, Kirilly, and sons, Harry and Tom. He’s held the seat since 2001.
Albanese was joined by his partner, Jodie, and son, Nathan, at a primary school in Marrickville, Sydney. The polling station is in his seat, Grayndler, which he’s held since 1996.
Caitlin Cassidy
Palestine, gun crime and cost of living key issues in Blaxland in Sydney’s west
Next to the seat of Parramatta is Blaxland, where independent Ahmed Ouf hopes to unseat Labor for the first time in the electorate’s history.
It’s currently held by the education minister, Jason Clare, on a 13% margin. Mufeeza, 24, is campaigning for Ouf at Parramatta west public school. Before he ran for parliament, she knew him as her local chemist.
It’s a movement I actually support due to his stance on Palestine, so I’m here to support him. I’ve lived here all my life and we haven’t had representation, except from the Greens, until now.
Outside the polling booth, votes are split. Russal, who’s been in the area for just under three years, voted Liberal due to the party’s tough stance on crime and desire for “more police patrols” after gun violence in the area.
Rebecca, a university worker who recently moved to the electorate, voted Greens, citing the party’s stance on housing affordability, cost-of-living policies and opposition to international student caps.
Meanwhile, Pramola, who recently became an Australian citizen, voted Labor, in large part because of its childcare subsidy. Her son has just turned one.
Since Covid, cost of living has increased a lot, but it’s the entire world, right? Because of inflation. I think people are more happy under Labor.
Caitlin Cassidy
Volunteers make nice at Parramatta school after corflute drama Friday night
Parramatta west public school had regained a sense of calm on Saturday afternoon after Liberal signs erected late last night were removed or destroyed. Volunteers stood side by side, despite wearing different colours, jesting amicably.
The Liberal candidate, Katie Mullens, who is contesting the marginal seat for the first time, told the Sydney Morning Herald it was “disappointing” people were putting their efforts into “destruction instead of the issues that really matter”.
Warren Gardener has been volunteering for Labor for 50 years. He says Andrew Charlton, who holds the seat on a 3.7% margin, has gone from an outsider last election to the frontrunner. He wasn’t involved in any poster removal but says this year has been marred by drama over corflutes.
Some of this stuff has become over the top, flyering everywhere … here it’s usually civilised … I don’t see how [putting up posters] helps the Coalition. A few months ago things weren’t looking very good [for Labor] but things have turned around quite dramatically.
Josh is volunteering for the Liberal party for the second time. The 23-year-old says the cost of living is the biggest issue on people’s minds – particularly for him as a new homeowner and small business owner.
It’s a pretty even split here from what I can see – a lot of people are moving away from the major parties too. One thing people aren’t factoring is preferences. One Nation preferencing Liberal second is going to be huge.
There’s been some nastiness [during the campaign] – I’ve been spat on by another volunteer. It’s nice today to have volunteers that regardless of parties are getting along.
Enough with the magic screens and TPP projections – if there is not a dirigible in tonight’s election coverage, I will be very disappointed.
Ben Doherty
Australians cast ballots from Antarctica to Apia, Nauru to New York
Tens of thousands of Australians will cast ballots around the world this election.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade will manage 111 overseas voting locations in 83 countries, the largest number ever for a federal election.
In the 2023 Voice referendum, 63,000 in-person votes were cast, and more than 9000 postal votes were received.
For the first time, Australians in the Maldives have been able to cast their vote in person at the Australian high commission in Male. It is also the first time Australians in Kolkata, an Indian city, and Koror, a city in the western Pacific country of Palau, have been able to vote in person at a federal election.
London is the largest international polling place in every Australian federal election, but there are also major voting centres in New York, Berlin, and Hong Kong.
Barely a handful of voters are expected in booths in Nauru, Accra, Rarotonga and Bandar Seri Begawan.
Even Australians stationed in Antarctica are required to vote; they can cast a ballot by phone.
Australia has voting centres all across the Pacific, including in Vanuatu (where Australia is the largest source of tourists).
“Australia’s election process sprawls right across the Pacific, all the way to the island of Tahiti at Australia’s consulate general in Pape’ete, French Polynesia,” Australia’s deputy consul-general to Pape’ete, Claire Lewis, said.
This year, three cruise ships will be docked in Pape’ete Port, each carrying over 1,000 passengers, many of whom are Australian. Our small post will be ready to welcome Australians who will vote in this year’s federal election.”
Between 60 and 80 Australians live in French Polynesia, which swells with thousands of tourists visiting the idyllic islands from October to May.
Read more from Ima Caldwell here:
A new election oracle? Monique Ryan hit by bird poo during interview
Independent member for Kooyong Monique Ryan endures some forthright but unconventional constituent feedback.
Ben Doherty
Bondi voters think Allegra Spender has it ‘in the bag’ at Wentworth, but others are more cautious
“It’s starting to get busy now,” the AEC official overseeing the voting at Bondi public school in Sydney’s inner east says. He is eyeing the queue of parents juggling cups of organic chai and pushing democracy sausages into ravenous kids who have just finished Saturday morning sport.
Around the ebullient kids – for whom the Bondi v Coogee netball scores matter far more than Labor v Liberal ballot numbers – voters and volunteers of all stripes are chatting politely. It’s a community going out of its way to demonstrate democracy can be civil.
“There’s been such a lot of pre-polling in this area, so the vibe is a lot more subdued than last election when it was a lot more reactionary,” says Kirk McDonald, a volunteer for the Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender.
“I think it’s probably in the bag for Allegra,” one voter opines to the concurrence of others.
Her name recognition is so strong in these parts that the independent is afforded the mononym.
“I’m very impressed with Allegra’s campaign. She’s got my support. Her supporters are out in force, which is great to see,” Umesh Chauhan, the man behind the organic chai, says.
Others were less enthusiastic and more cautious. Labor supporter Mark Gerada says the “Bill Shorten election” (of 2019) still lurks at the back of his mind. And another politician, also not running in this election, is there too – he currently sits behind the Resolute Desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
“I want Labor to win federally, and Allegra locally, and I feel quietly confident, but I just don’t trust anything anymore, especially after the American election. It cast a big shadow. At least for us, this time, I hope something good will come of it,” Gerada says.
The loss of the Voice makes me so sad. There’s been no talk at all about Indigenous Australia during the election campaign, which makes me so sad.
‘Albacheesy’, ‘hard snag of the opposition’ and Teal roll with ‘dash of inner-city guilt’: democracy sausages get innovative
Some polling stations are getting creative with democracy sausages.
At Crown Street primary school in Surry Hills (in the Labor electorate of Sydney), the Dutton Dog Classic offers: “Sausage in bread. No cheese. No onions. No smiles. Just the hard snag of the opposition.” The Teal Gourmet Roll is bougie with halloumi and rocket toppings, and comes with “a free slice of climate concern and a dash of inner-city guilt”. And the One Nation Hot Wings claim to be “so spicy they will have you screaming: ‘send them back to the kitchen’”.
At Double Bay public school in Wentworth, an “Albacheesy” snag boasts onion and cheese toppings.
And the bake stall at Marrickville public school is rather colourful indeed:
But the price of a snag in some electorates is “a far cry from the days of my youth, where the same sausage would cost only a gold coin donation,” voter Chloe Taylor says. At Kensignton public school, also in Wentworth, a simple sausage costs $7.
“When I posted this on my Instagram story, the replies from my friends were shocked reacts and comments like ‘criminal!’ and ‘democracy is dead’,” Taylor says.
Caitlin Cassidy
Hume’s ‘Chinese spies’ accusation made potential volunteers ‘afraid’ to work on polling booths, says Li
Li also called out unsubstantiated comments made by Coalition frontbencher Jane Hume that “Chinese spies” could be working on Labor pre-poll booths. He said Australians with Chinese heritage had contacted him and offered to volunteer, but they no longer felt comfortable.
They were afraid they would be accused of being spies … it’s totally disenfranchising for the Australian Chinese community … we’ve been here for over 200 years. We have just as much right to participate in Australian democracy as anyone else.
Caitlin Cassidy
State MP Jason Yat-Sen Li confident but ‘chasing every single vote’ for Labor at Burwood booth
The state member for Strathfield, Jason Yat-Sen Li, is handing out flyers for the Reid MP, Sally Sitou, at the front of Burwood primary school in Sydney’s inner west. He’s been here since 8am and feels confident Labor will win, but is “chasing every single vote”.
The feeling’s good … In this area, cost of living and schools – the fact we’re fully funding public schools – is really resonating. There’s also a lot of Chinese heritage residents around here – for them what’s resonating is they don’t like nuclear power because they’ve experienced Fukushima, and the hangover from the Morrison years is still in their minds.
Li doesn’t think the Liberal party’s choice to run a candidate with Chinese heritage will make a difference. According to census data, 32.8% of the Burwood population has Chinese ancestry, compared with 5.5% nationally.
It’s great that there are more Chinese Aussies putting their hand up – it’s also great for the electorate to have a diverse candidate from both major parties. But … I don’t think just because someone’s Chinese people would vote for them.
Caitlin Cassidy
Coalition hoping to take seat of Reid from Labor’s Sally Sitou
In the Sydney inner west suburb of Burwood, Liberal party posters reading “Let’s Get Australia Back on Track” have been wrapped around Burwood Public school’s fence.
The Coalition is hoping to take the seat of Reid from Labor’s Sally Sitou, who took it from the Liberals on a margin of 5.2% in 2022.
Gavin, 24, is volunteering for the first time backing the Liberal candidate, Grange Chung. Gavin says Chung’s background – both are Chinese Australians – is what inspired him to get involved.
It’s not about the party, I just want to support a great candidate like him. Many people like him, I’ve had a lot of support.
Christopher Xie, 18, cast his first ballot at Burwood Public on Saturday morning. He’s lived in the area for 13 years, and voted for the Greens with Hecs/Help debt front of centre as a new university student, as well as the housing crisis and transport costs.
I think it’s important to vote because a lot of people now are recognising that they have a stronger voice, especially in their local area. Sally [Sitou] has been to a lot of events and done a lot of advocating, with every party and every politician they can always do better, but she’s done very well.
Angela Yao, 26, voted for Sitou with tax and energy bill relief in mind.
Growing up, my parents have always voted Labor, because I think they benefit the immigrants more. I’ve always leaned towards Labor and did this time too.
Upstanding Australian, Max (a dog), is the face of the Cute and Honest Cavalier Party appearing on a (not so) official federal election corflute in the Gold Coast, Queensland.
“Unfortunately I had already voted before I saw this poster on the Gold Coast,” Guardian’s Warren Murray lamented.
Dutton makes 17th campaign visit to a petrol station
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has dropped into a petrol station with senator James Patterson as he visits Melbourne swing seats this election morning.
(Looks like the 17th petrol station he has made an appearance at during his election campaign.)
Here he is, pictured holding a “25 cents off petrol” sign:
