George Long has gotten used to voting early, mostly because of his retail job — weekends are typically hectic at the supermarket.
This year, however, polling day falls during his birthday week, and he suspects there might be a surprise trip planned for the weekend of May 3.
“I didn’t want to risk missing it. I’m not too confident about postal voting, which is why I voted early at a booth,” Mr Long explained.
He’s among more than a million Australians who have already cast their votes. Early voting started on Tuesday.
By Thursday night, over 1.78 million ballots had been submitted, according to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The AEC suggested the public holiday might have boosted early voting numbers. So far, figures show a 39% increase compared to the 2022 election, where over 5.5 million people had voted ahead of polling day.
Early voting pauses for Anzac Day.
Why are more Australians voting early?
Several reasons explain why early voting is becoming more popular, says Phoebe Hayman from La Trobe University, who studies political participation.
Convenience is a major factor, especially with a series of public holidays, school breaks, and long weekends during the campaign.
“We’re also seeing a shift in cultural norms,” Ms Hayman said.
“Although early voting has long been a more convenient option, it hasn’t been used on this scale until recent elections.”
Research also shows that certain voters are more inclined to vote early.
“We notice higher rates of early voting in areas where polling stations are sparse,” she said.
“In safe seats, where voters feel the result is predictable, early voting is more common.”
Conversely, voters in marginal seats are more likely to wait until polling day.
“Voters assess the safety of their seat before deciding when to vote,” Ms Hayman added.
Julie Newman, who lives in the safe Liberal seat of Flinders on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, voted early before flying to visit family in Western Australia.
She noticed long lines and said most people she spoke with had already made up their minds.
“Everyone agreed you’re not voting for someone you want — you’re voting against the worst option,” she said.
Newman believes late-stage campaigning doesn’t sway voters anymore.
She criticized the lack of accountability for misleading political statements and expressed general dissatisfaction with the government.
Polling day is now just the final day to vote
Zareh Ghazarian, a political scientist at Monash University, said parties haven’t fully adapted their campaign strategies to the new voting behavior.
“Campaigns can no longer rely on a steady flow of information throughout the election period because people are voting early,” he said.
“Over a million votes are already in, and in close races, that could decide the outcome before polling day.”
Voting day, he added, is now simply the last opportunity to vote rather than the main event.
Shaun Plant shared a similar experience.
Wanting to avoid crowds, he voted early but found it just as busy on Wednesday.
“It felt like polling day. I had to park a block away just to get in,” he said.
Mr. Plant mentioned that the lack of detailed policy information influenced his vote.
“You can’t vote for what you don’t understand. Like Dutton said during the referendum: ‘if you don’t know, vote no,'” he explained.
Though he has historically voted Greens or Labor, he said he isn’t loyal to any party and chooses purely based on policies.
Early voting is now the norm
First-time federal voter Christen Bingham, volunteering with the Greens, plans to vote early to make the process more accessible.
“I’m disabled, so voting on a less busy day will be easier and less stressful,” Ms Bingham said.
She noted that flexibility helps disabled voters focus better on making their choice rather than on physical challenges.
“Some people can stand, but not for long periods. Many voting centers have stairs and lack wheelchair access,” she explained.
Dr. Ghazarian emphasized that voting habits have been evolving for two decades.
In 2004, over 80% of Australians voted on election day. By the last federal election, nearly half had voted early.
“This shift has been happening for a while,” Dr. Ghazarian said.
“Parties shouldn’t be surprised — early voting is here to stay and will likely keep growing.”
