THE battle for hearts and minds concludes on Saturday as Bendigo residents go to the polls for the 2014 State Election.
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During the course of the campaign, which kicked off on Melbourne Cup Day, the Labor Party has promised more than $60 million in direct funding announcements for Bendigo. The Coalition has promised $18 million of funding in the city.
Labor's big ticket items include $10 million for a new tech school in Bendigo, $7.8 million to build a farm studies centre at Bendigo TAFE, $17.2 million to duplicate Napier Street, $5.7 million to Epsom Primary School and $6 million to Bendigo Senior Secondary School.
They have also put $5 million to Bendigo Stadium, $5 million to Bendigo's Catholic precinct, $1 million to Kalianna School and $800,000 to the Strathfieldsaye roundabout.
The Liberal Party's promises in the city include $5.7 million to Epsom Primary School, $1 million for a new Strathfieldsaye roundabout, $5 million to Bendigo Stadium and $4 million to Kalianna School.
During the last six months of the Coalition government, Bendigo received a $15 million commitment to the Kangaroo Flat Aquatic Centre, funding to upgrade the Ravenswood Interchange and upgrades to the Bendigo Tennis Complex.
Each party has also announced various funding streams specifically for regional Victoria.
The Coalition has committed an extra $500 million to its $1 billion Regional Growth Fund and a $100 million Regional Cities Infrastructure Program.
Labor will establish a $500 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund.
Polling centres across Bendigo will seek to make the most of fundraiser sausage sizzles on election day, including at Quarry Hill Primary School.
The school will use the day to raise funds for next year's student exchange trip to China.
The students will be selling icy poles, sausages, muffins and drinks.
VOTER INFORMATION:
From Chewton to Dingee, from Lockwood to Axedale, voters will have 57 voting centres to choose from.
The voting centres will be open from 8am to 6pm.
Schools in Bendigo hosting polling centres include:
Lightning Reef, Eaglehawk North, Epsom, Golden Square, Huntly, Eaglehawk, St Monica's, Quarry Hill, Spring Gully, Kennington, Weeroona, St Peter's Catholic, Big Hill, Violet Street, Crusoe College, and Specimen Hill.
Halls to host a polling booth:
Bendigo Town Hall, Bendigo East, Holy Trinity Anglican Flora Hill, Bendigo Baptist, Sailors Gully, Strathdale Community, Strathfieldsaye Uniting Church, Holy Rosary, St Laurence, Bendigo Badminton Centre, Abundant Life, Maiden Gully, Marong and Long Gully.
You can vote in the following towns:
Axedale, Dingee, Elmore, Eppalock, Goornong, Mandurang, Raywood, Sedgwick, Serpentine, Woodvale, Chewton, Castlemaine, Guildford, Harcourt, Lockwood, Maldon and Newstead.
For a complete list, visit the VEC's How to Vote page here.