Australia: Australia election: Over 15 million voters likely to exercise their franchise

Millions of Australians began voting today in national elections that pits Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull against Labour Opposition leader Bill Shorten who is vying to become the country’s fifth premier in three years, with opinion polls predicting a close race.

Thousands of voters queued up to cast their votes at the polling stations that opened at 8.00 am (local time).

Over 15 million voters are expected to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of over 1,600 candidates, inclunding five of Indian-origin, contesting from over 55 political parities.

The polls will elect all 226 members, inclunding 150 members for the Lower Home of the 45th Parliament next an eight-week official campaign period following the double dissolution announced by Prime Minister Turnbull in April.

In the 150-seat Home of Representatives, Labour currently holds 55 seats, the coalition 90 and five seats are held by minor parties or independents.

The major contest is between Turnbull and his conservative coalition against a Labour opposition led by Shorten.

A Newspoll published in The Australian showed Turnbull’s Liberal/National coalition 50.5 to 49.5 % in front on a two-party basis.

The UK’s decision to leave the European Union appears to have benefited Turnbull.

Australian Election Commission said it had 75,000 people working around the country in about 7,000 polling stations.

Meanwhile, four men were reportedly arrested overnight and later released for allegedly damaging polling booths in St Kilda area in Melbourne.

Victoria police said a number of people had damaged signs and posters at polling booths in the area and elsewhere.

In Sydney, 61-year-old Turnbull voted along with his wife Lucy at the Double Bay Public School in his seat of Wentworth.

He repeated his call for voters to choose the Coalition and avoid a hung parliament.

“As I said there’s at no time been a additional exciting time to vote for a stable majority Coalition government, an economic plan that secures our next,” he said.

Shorten, 49, continued his last minute campaign in the key marginal seats of Reid, Lindsay and Macquarie in western Sydney. He is expected to fly to Melbourne this afternoon to cast his vote in his electorate of Maribyrnong.

Shorten said he was confident Labour could win.

“Labour is very competitive,” he said, adding “I know that some of the conservative political papers have run their drum beat and whatever happens, the Liberals will win. The fact of the matter is that Labor’s schedule has been speaking to the daily lives and experiences of Australians.”

In May, Turnbull had announced double dissolution of Parliament which led to two months of election campaign filled with slogans and promises.