Voters across Australia are heading to the polls today in what’s shaping up to be one of the closest federal elections in recent years.
The contest will decide who leads the country next, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese facing strong competition from opposition leader Peter Dutton.
Albanese, representing the Labor Party, is looking to secure another term after coming to power in 2022. Although he once enjoyed strong public support, issues like rising housing costs, Indigenous affairs, and rising tensions around religious and cultural divides have tested his leadership. On the other side, Dutton, who leads the Liberal-National coalition, brings years of ministerial experience but remains a divisive figure due to his firm stances on social matters.
Millions of Australians are casting their votes today. Voting closes at 6:00 pm in each time zone, meaning the eastern states like New South Wales and Victoria are among the first to wrap up. With Australia’s vast geography, polling closes gradually from east to west, with some territories voting until 8:00 pm AET.
The Australian Electoral Commission starts counting ballots as soon as voting ends. There are no widespread exit polls like in some other countries, mainly because early voting is common and the time zone differences complicate national projections. However, the AEC runs a fast-tracked tallying system that allows for unofficial updates to be shared quickly. Australians can expect to see real-time results throughout the evening.
Election night coverage is expected to be intense. Media outlets like ABC and various analysts will study early counts to predict outcomes. The AEC’s method involves focusing on the two most popular candidates in each seat, giving voters a strong sense of which way the wind is blowing. This helps the public and parties figure out who is likely to form the next government.
While the official results take time due to manual counting of more than 18 million ballots, early predictions are usually accurate. In 2022, the result was called within a few hours of polls closing on the east coast. Tonight could follow a similar timeline—unless it turns out to be a very tight race.
If no party wins a clear majority, Australia could be looking at another hung parliament. In that case, forming a government could take weeks of negotiation with independent MPs. The last time this happened was in 2010, and it took 17 days before a new government was confirmed.
With a close finish expected and millions of Australians tuned in, this election could bring long hours and late-night speeches. Whether the result comes quickly or takes time, tonight’s vote will set the country’s direction for the coming years.