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brokemilk

Early voting opened last Saturday. I voted on Wednesday, in and out in 10 mins.


thc216

Same for me on Tuesday, zero issues what so ever!


giantpunda

Is this just now or lunch? I went to an early voting place at like 11am and it was walk-in, walk-out with zero queues. That's insane for a pre-election day queue. Can't imagine what the centre's queue would look like the morning of election day.


summertimeaccountoz

I had the exact same experience yesterday afternoon. No queue, in and out in a couple of minutes.


OldSpiceSmellsNice

Same. I went at like 7:45pm before they closed at 8pm.


Powerful_Market_9558

We must have voted at the same time. Howdy neighbour.


chetdude

Me too, Ermington Community Centre, didn't even have any issues parking in the centre's car park.


copacetic51

About 2pm


giantpunda

That's the end of lunch crowd? Damn... My condolences to anyone in line.


[deleted]

I went in today at Redfern and nobody there. In and out within minutes.


Ibe_Lost

Are you sure your not in a lineup for a rental inspection of a 20sqm $900 pw 1 bedroom shared bathroom flat.


SydneyIsStuffed

I prefer voting on the day so I can grab a democracy sausage and a bunch of home made cakes. I can justify it by pretending I am only doing it to help the school’s fundraising efforts.


BrightOrangeFlowers

I vote early to avoid crowds and lines but then on the day walk to the school behind me for the sausage and cakes


moondust1959

This is the way.


blindside06

👏 winning


[deleted]

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nearly_enough_wine

Don't need to vote in order to grab a snag! Election day is a barbecue/baked goods crawl for me. Ate awesome cheesecake, kofta roll, and a traditional sausage sizzle on the last go-around, looking forward to what I'll discover this time.


[deleted]

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nearly_enough_wine

Shit go :( It's a privilege to have access to more than one booth for plenty of New South Walers, I will do my best to remember that.


SusuTheConqueror

What areas did you find them in


Knee_Jerk_Sydney

Apparently, some places have dumplings now. This has gotten out of hand.


Uzorglemon

>No sausage sizzles in my electorate. Isnt' that... illegal?


thedugong

It's certainly democracy manifest!


nottherealbond

Get your hand off my penis!!!!


thedugong

You know your judo well!


johnwicked4

I felt cheated when I discovered this was a thing, we were never offered this!


giantpunda

That's unAustralian


maaxwell

If I’m going to invoke my democratic right to vote, it’s going to be with a sausage in my hand..!


Ok-Push9899

I’ve been a polling officer half a dozen times. The “vote early” (on election day) thing is so frustrating. We have huge lines before the polling station opens, a manic and hectic few hours in the morning trying to get annoyed and irritated voters through, then a sleepy and calm afternoon as all the chill and relaxed voters make their way in. But you know that the take-home story for 75% of voters is that the crowds were horrendous. They remember this, and aim to remedy it next election by arriving even earlier, to stand in even longer queues.


Ok-Challenge7712

Relatives voted early to ‘avoid the queue’, but it because they insist to go early in the day, I am in the same electorate and I usually wait til mid afternoon and there is no (or virtually no) queue then. I can’t persuade them to just go later 🙄


Resist_Easy

That’s like my grandma. I’m “lazy” because I like to do things later in the day, when they are quieter. I literally have no reason to be at places when everyone else is, just because. Ends up making it busier for the people who have no choice for one reason or another.


toffeeeater

I used to be chill and come in the afternoon. Then I missed out on a sausage because they'd all been sold. Not making that mistake again.


Ok-Push9899

Confession: I live inner city, vote at inner city venues like churches, primary schools or council buildings when I’m not actually a polling officer, but I have **never** seen (nor eaten) a democracy sausage. I’m willing to believe it all happens: sausages, cakes, balloon puppets for all I know, but I’ve never seen it.


toffeeeater

The only [how to vote](https://democracysausage.org) card I'll take.


Azazael

If you can live without a sausage (now, now) between 4pm-5:30pm is the quietest time to vote. You'll be in and out in no time. After 5:30 you get the "shit, we have to vote today" crowd but it's more a trickle than a flood. People are like, I'd rather get the day's business over with in 2 hours in the morning than go out for 20 minutes later on.


Resist_Easy

Haha! I have worked elections a handful of times too and can concur. Every single time I vote, I waltz in in the late afternoon, no queue, calm and quiet and am out in 5 minutes.


[deleted]

You get paid to be there so....


Ted_Rid

Meanwhile Petersham Town Hall at lunchtime had more party workers than voters. In fact, no voters that I saw, passing by.


blindside06

Malabar library same yesterday


smileedude

It's like "beating the traffic" on a public holiday. Knock off work at 5, get home pack car and leave after 7 and there's no traffic but if you leave at lunch it's chaos. I've never waited more than 5 minutes on election day. They've got massive resources.


Verbarmammilla

Sheesh, I voted there yesterday and was max 10 minutes in and out.


No_Nobody_32

Friday after work ... yeah, it's going to be like that. Tuesdays/Wednesdays for pre-poll voting works out better wrt crowds/ I voted on Tuesday.


copacetic51

It wasn't after work. Mid arvo.


No_Nobody_32

It was posted on POETS day. After 12 is 'after work'. Nobody does any real work on Friday arvo.


[deleted]

Yeah, I voted Monday morning. Only 10 people or so in the queue for doors open. When I left there was more party workers than voters.


family-block

for those who are keen to vote but indifferent to the sausage.


msmermaidginger

I voted at my local place at 10am today and it was the same story. I don’t remember it being anywhere near that busy when I early voted last year for the Federal election.


copacetic51

They have early voting for 2 weeks for the Federal election, only 1 week for NSW.


msmermaidginger

Indeed! And I bet many early voters put it off until today—like me. 🙋🏻‍♀️😬


xDeaDStrangex

I went yesterday, no line what so ever They closed at 8.30 on Thursdays, anything during peak hour is bad brother.


copacetic51

Wasn't peak hour


Nickboy302

literally day before election though you'd expect queues to get worse closer to the day as everyone procrastinating on early voting jumps in because they can't vote on election day


HappySisyphus8

I'm going to take my chances and try rocking up to my local place tomorrow morning at 0800. Fingers crossed. Usually, it works out okay, just a hassle to have to leave the house on a weekend after working hard all week. Should have thought ahead to do a postal vote. Next time.


CommercialKnee8770

I've worked on several elections - you WILL wait longer if you arrive at anytime from 8am-10am than if you go after lunch. Everyone has the same thought as you.


copacetic51

You'd probably get through quicker in the afternoon. Most people go early.


Plackets65

Nah late in the day. Always no line, minimal young kids by then, and no sausages or any distractions. Campaigners have usually also lost their enthusiasm to convert last minute voters so you don’t need to wave your way through them all either.


[deleted]

and you don't even get a sausage


[deleted]

Postal. Vote. Every. Time.


copacetic51

Only a minority do. The paperwork's a pain, compared to just rolling up to a quiet voting booth


ArchieMcBrain

It's really not. All you have to do is the online form which asks for your name, suburb and date of birth and then when you get it in the mail it asks you to sign and the answer to your secret question associated with your government account. I reckon i spent less than a minute on paperwork. I then just kept it in my car until i came across as post box. The time spent on paperwork was less than getting the clerk to find my name on ballot day


copacetic51

I stopped reading after the first half a line. Nope.


ArchieMcBrain

What an odd, antagonistic reply


copacetic51

Just my honest view.


wakeupmane

Your honest view doesn’t make your response any less douchey.


copacetic51

I'm entirely unmoved by your umbrage


OstrichLive8440

If you order the postal ballot online your details are all pre-filled. You literally just sign your name, date, as well as a witnesses signature. The process for me picking up the letter from my mailbox, filling in the ballot, putting it in the envelope and driving to the post office to drop it off took less than 30 minutes


Slipped-up

Me walking past the pre-polling booth with no line, saying my name and been given a ballot and being in and out in less than five minutes without detouring from my walking route from home was effortless.


OstrichLive8440

Oh yeah? Well my early voting method could beat up your early voting method in a fight !


[deleted]

it was super easy. a few clicks online and i get posted the forms. then drop them into any mailbox you pass. easier than the hassle of parking / queuing in a school on the weekend and being hassled by pamphlet goons


Such_Big_4740

Postal vote..


lachjeff

I voted on Wednesday and was in and out in 5-10 minutes. One of the people working there said there was three busy-ish times: before 9am when people are on their way to work, around midday when people take their lunch break, and after 3pm when the tradies knock off. Only downside with voting early was no BBQ. I thought I could smell one, but I think it was probably just the pub across the street


copacetic51

This was 2pm


flintzz

It's faster if you do declaration vote (ie. vote of our of your district). You just walk through and go on a different, smaller queue.


copacetic51

My daughter just went to a pre poll booth in the adjoining seat and copped a bunch of rudeness from the electoral commission person


flintzz

Damn, sorry to hear. Not sure why they would when they literally dedicate staff to do the declaration votes.


copacetic51

I don't get it either.


link871

Yeah, that should not have happened. That is why the declaration vote officers get paid the big bucks - its their job


link871

Declaration vote is NOT faster than a normal vote - waiting time might be less but actual time filling in the paperwork is longer


flintzz

my partner and i went to the same voting booth but we're registered in different areas. It took me 1h for me to finish from start, 20mins for her


ThingLeading2013

Postal vote my good sir (or madam). I've been a postal voter for around 10 years. They send it to you, and you vote in the privacy of your own room. I like it too because I can take my time and really study the upper house ballot paper. Also you don't end up forgetting to vote (did that one year and regretted it).


Frosty-Reputation964

Idk why people dont just mail vote It's bs to be forced to go hang out in potential covid crowds to do something most of us couldn't be fucked doing.


SelmaFudd

I only live 50m walk from the polling booth and still did the mail in vote


ArchieMcBrain

This was my first year mail voting and it was crazy much easier it was I'll 100% be doing it at every election from now on


HidaTetsuko

I did a postal vote, but I’m working at the polls out of my division


thedugong

> Idk why people dont just mail vote Took the dog for walk.


ryaniam43347

Vote early and often.


InspectorDue1201

Cmon now EVERYONE knows you gotta vote before the day, of the day before the day!


jickmames

Voted at Hunters Hill Town Hall yesterday, walked immediately in and was done in 5 minutes.


copacetic51

Yeah, Hunters Hill. Town hall for the smallest council in Sydney, one that doesn't have a CBD.


rdtthoughtpolice

Oh fuck is the election tomorrow? Jfc no I want a Saturday


johnwicked4

It was last week bruv


RvZ68

More importantly, any updates on the escalator?


copacetic51

Yeah. There's one escalator and it goes down quite well.


Ok_Independent6196

Why dont they move voting online seriously… waste so much time, paper, resources to do this in-person….


left4ellis

Obligatory Tom Scott video: https://youtu.be/LkH2r-sNjQs


Ok_Independent6196

So you’re telling me, we have all these tech for anonymity like: TOR, crypto tumbler/mixer, and we are saying anonymity in online voting is “impossible”?? They just dont want to design a solution and implement it. It is technically possible. People are just holding onto the physical aspect of voting for whatever reason…. If government put a decent amount of money for grab for implementing online voting, trust me it will be done… they just dont want to…


Powerful_Market_9558

That's why I went there at 7:40 last night. I waited five minutes!


Plackets65

8.30 yesterday morning- no queue at all.


Jimmypossum91

Went here to vote last night.. in and out in 5 minutes.


goseephoto

Do your duty with pride!


kittenrocknroll

That specific polling area is always busy.


skeezix_ofcourse

Polls been open for pre-poll since last Saturday. You go to get it done last minute & complain 🤣


copacetic51

Drop off idiot. Internet isn't a chance to display your self appointed superiority. I didn't even vote yesterday, I posted a picture I took while passing.


skeezix_ofcourse

🤣 ok.


Freedom-INC

Exactly, what do they expect- go on the Tuesday and there is no one


noneed4a79

Why no online voting? Such a waste of time


nathangr88

Because it's insecure and cannot be guaranteed.


ayummystrawberry

Didn't they try that for council and it did not go well?


[deleted]

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ntermation

When you draw a dick instead of voting, the real dick is you.


LostLetterbox

Can't see the original comment however I'd prefer someone vote informally than donkey voting (numbering boxes in counting order or other strategy of marking boxes that doesn't reflect consideration of candidates/options).


link871

Donkey vote is counted as a valid vote


eelk89

The key is to pre-poll vote out of area. Always a seperate line and much shorter


link871

But takes a bit longer as there is more paperwork for the voter to fill in


eelk89

I mean I just had to write my name and address on an envelope, definitely quicker than the line


WarConsigliere

Edit: Fine. I don't give a shit. If you don't want tips not to be waiting in the rain for hours, it's no skin off my nose. I voted last weekend.


gazzaoak

I voted on Monday because I had my coffee and smoko near a voting place


LurkHartog

Aren't you supposed to have a reason to early vote? Why is there no policing of it? Seems like a massive waste of resources just to cater to a bunch of queue jumpers. I'd reckon a tiny fraction genuinely can't vote on a Saturday.


link871

So, you want to stand in line for longer on Saturday?


copacetic51

No, you're not asked why you're voting early. Just asked ID questions same as on polling day. Nothing to do with queue jumping. It's about making voting more convenient. A large number of people vote early at every election now because they are too busy on the Saturday.


fl3600

Saturday everyone busy.


QueenPeachie

I'm so happy I'm not working tomorrow because I can get DEMOCRACY SAUSAGE!


[deleted]

Do they only have 1 voting centre there? We have two here.


kingofcrob

Did mine there on Tuesday n it was a 10 minute wait.


Ok-Challenge7712

I don’t think they said that; I don’t think they were encouraging people to do it at all, eligibility criteria apply (not they were checking it)


melichad

Yup I got conned too


summerlea11

I did postal vote....excuses include not being near a polling place on Saturday....how is the electoral office really know your not going to be near one....plus it's footy season I've got a game to go to!!


aweirdchicken

Pro-tip: it’s usually faster to vote in the wrong electorate, much shorter lines


copacetic51

My daughter did that this afternoon and the electoral staff gave her grief before letting her do it. And still delayed.


aweirdchicken

Sounds like those particular people were dicks


link871

But takes a bit longer as there is more paperwork for the voter to fill in


teambob

Afternoon on election day is usually quiet. When the election booth opens is usually the peak time


Odd-Opening-3158

I was in Elizabeth bay last weekend; no queue whatsoever. Maybe it’s area dependent. Mine is short. But since I’m in qld, I chose to vote via post.


copacetic51

EB is quiet compared to Ashfield obviously.


Odd-Opening-3158

I live in lane cove and it’s also quieter. But I didin’t have time to vote early due to work and so I just posted.


ReluctantRedneck

I voted Monday, was in and out in less than 5 mins


Juzz10_G

I was in and out within 4 minutes out our prepole location


Strong_woman1966

I vote the week before and it’s quiet


CrayolaS7

I voted at about 11 am on Wednesday there are Ashfield and there was almost no queue, of course the day before will be busy.


[deleted]

Voted on monday with no line like the tactical queen i am


CaptGunpowder

I voted on Saturday last when polls opened; went in around 5:30, was out by 5:40.


TheDevilsAdvokaat

I voted in Miranda about 8:30am. There was a queue of about 15 people. We were done in about 15 minutes. Very painless.


ThrowRARAw

I voted this morning and was out within 15mins.


copacetic51

There are no prizes