Over 700,000 New Voters Expected for Australia’s Largest Election Ever
An additional 710,000 voters have registered with the Australian Electoral Commission, gearing up for the upcoming federal election in less than two months.
The country is set to have its largest election ever on May 3, as revealed by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The AEC disclosed that 710,000 more individuals have enlisted to vote by the end of 2024 compared to the previous federal election in 2022.
The forthcoming election is of great significance, with the need for 100,000 staff, 250,000 pencils, and 80,000 ballot boxes.
The surge in voter numbers raises the question of where these new voters are coming from.
According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, 385,189 individuals became Australian citizens between the financial years of 2022 and 2024.
Moreover, Gen Z and millennial voters born from 1982 onwards are set to overtake baby boomers as the largest voting group.
Currently, there are 17,939,818 people enrolled to vote across the nation, with enrolments closing at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 7.
Election Called, Cost-of-Living Dominates
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has officially declared the election for May 3.
Albanese announced the election date on March 28, following his government passing the 2025 federal budget, and the morning after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton delivered his budget reply.
AAP reported that the goods and services produced per work hour experienced a 1.2 percent decline in 2024, as mentioned by the Productivity Commission’s deputy chair, Alex Robson.
Robson emphasized the need to address Australia’s lack of significant improvement in labor productivity over the past decade to sustainably enhance living standards amidst global policy uncertainties.
