Voters are experiencing challenges with early voting, including long drives and chaotic queues at polling locations.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) anticipates that around half of all voters will utilize early voting options, including in-person, mobile, and postal voting.

This surge in early voting complicates campaign strategies for major parties, as many voters are making decisions without knowing the final costs of party policies.

Independent candidates are mobilizing large teams of volunteers to support pre-poll voting efforts, reflecting a proactive approach to the evolving electoral landscape.

As of late April, approximately 1.8 million Australians have applied for postal voting, with applications remaining open until the end of the month.

Major cities around the world, including London, New York, and Hong Kong, reported strong participation in overseas voting, with London hosting the largest center.

The two main political parties in this election are the Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and the Coalition, led by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Australians are engaging in record numbers for early voting in the 2025 federal election, with 542,000 ballots cast on the first day, marking a 72% increase from the previous election.

Voting for Australians abroad has commenced at over 100 diplomatic missions, allowing voters to return postal ballots via diplomatic mail.

Despite improvements in voting access, challenges persist, particularly for Australians living abroad, who face complex voting laws that can lead to confusion.

In the previous election, only 19 overseas centers were available for in-person voting, a significant drop from 85 in 2019 due to pandemic restrictions.

The early voting period has been shortened due to public holidays, with ballots accepted until May 2, 2025.