A record number of over 2.5 million Australians have already cast their vote in the 2013 Australian Federal Election. There are a number of reasons why Australians choose to vote early from having to work today, travel, family events such as weddings, or just, a simple wanting to avoid the polling booths on such a busy election day
Tomorrow, there will be over 8,000 polling places open around the country from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm local time. Over 43 million ballot papers have been printed with 50,000 ballot boxes producsed and distributed.
The counting of votes will begin in every polling place after doors close at 6:00 pm on election day. Polling officials will count all first preferences on the House of Representatives ballot papers. Next they will conduct a two-candidate-preferred count of all House of Representatives ballot papers.
Once this task is complete, all polling places will commence counting the Senate first preferences. In some of the largest counting (scrutiny) centres, completion of the Senate first preference count may be finalised on Sunday.
All results are updated constantly on the AEC Virtual Tally Room, accessed via the AEC website./Provision of results through the VTR continues in the following days and weeks until the election is concluded.
