Long drives, chaotic queues: why millions of Australians are casting their votes early

Intense rain didn’t stop thousands of Sydney voters from casting their ballots early on Monday, avoiding the chaos of election day. Mick Ragusa, a 25-year-old electrician, chose to vote ahead of his intended holiday, preferring the calm of early voting over the noise and confusion of election day. With nearly 3 million people already casting their votes in early voting, this trend is growing steadily across all federal electorates as the campaign heats up. Political analysts suggest this increase reflects changing voter preferences driven by flexible work arrangements, family responsibilities, and the convenience of avoiding crowds on election day.