Shrinking ORDINARY Votes

2025 votes

Where are the voters going now?

6,678,692 ordinary election day votes

539,069 election day absent votes

27,532 provisional election day votes

 

7,245,293 voters attended polling places on 3/5/25

6,326,532 pre-poll ordinary votes

557,890 pre-poll declaration votes

2,167,417 postal votes

112,616 Mobile and remote ordinary votes

62,862 overseas pre-poll votes

12,131 postal votes via diplomatic mail

2,327 telephone blind & low vision votes

57 Antarctica votes

So, 6,884,422 voters attended at pre-poll centres prior and

On election day 7,245,293 voters attended polling places in person

The ordinaries were able to be counted in the polling places on election day (polling day) night. Apparently a significant portion of the pre-poll ordinary are counted in the "Out-posted centres" (after 6 pm). I imagine those results are added directly to the Tally Room on Saturday night. (But, what happens to the balance of the Pre-poll ordinary votes?)

The AEC would like to start the scrutiny of the ordinary pre-poll at midday on election day. That is interesting. Since there would be scrutineers observing that could make possible increasing dissemination of reliable early polling information in regard to candidates. That would be known to the public before 6 pm - which has never before happened. It could be useful in advertising for votes.

The polling day count number obviously is large enough to show how things were going for candidates. (For some it was enough for certainty!)

As they became available, every other vote was further processed and counted after that, I guess in the "Out-posted Centres".

Note that I think the numbers are "total voters", ie votes with count value, plus informals. My total of the above (ie, votes received) is 16,487,125. That probably includes ultimately rejected votes in envelopes (postal; pre-poll; absent; provisional) which fail some test.

All counting was observed by scrutineers (I trust!).

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, and not in a land not at all far away, most votes (by far) were ordinary on election day. They were the only "ordinary". Apart from mobile (local hospital, etc) votes, all others were placed in envelopes for further processing. That horse has really bolted!

Voters now expect something quite different!

Voting systems and arrangements have progressively evolved. Some changes required legislation. 

You may recall metal ballot boxes with padlocks and wooden voting compartments? If you worked as an official you may remember sealing wax and the official embossed seal? What about voters coming from 8 am to 8 pm? You may recall Government advertising in the local newspaper?

Were cardboard and digital technology the drivers of much change?

 Source: AEC Election report 2025