Bendigo casts its vote | Photos

Officer-in-charge at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Myers Street, Geoff Young, said the polling place was one of the largest in the Bendigo electorate, with upwards of 1800 people expected to go through the doors.

“It’s a massive undertaking to organise for everyone to have their vote and it’s our job here today to make sure it happens as smoothly as possible,” Mr Young said.

Mr Young said this was his 47th year of working for the Australian Electoral Commission.

“I was a student and it was a way to get a bit of money,” he said.

“But I enjoy doing it, and we’re so lucky in this country to be able to vote… I like to be involved in helping people exercise their democratic right.”

Lightning Reef Primary School was another popular station, with a long line winding its way through the school grounds by 10am.

First time voter Zoe Deed, 19, was among the voters there and said she was excited to participate in her first election, with a clear idea of who would gain her vote.

“I’m up to date with politics, I’m interested in it, and I’ve watched (ABC program) Q&A the last three weeks,” she said.

The polling places were also full of volunteers donating their time to their cause of choice.

Robyn Geldart worked the night shift as an intensive care nurse at Bendigo Health before heading straight to Holy Trinity Church in Flora Hill to take charge of the barbecue.

The church had the barbecue fired up early, cooking sausages for the first voters of the day at 8am.

Parishioners were raising money to extend the church building, also holding a cake stall for those with more of a sweet tooth.

Lightning Reef Primary School was another provider of the revered “democracy sausage”, selling sandwiches and chocolates to raise money for the new library and to send students to the Energy Breakthrough Program in Maryborough later this year.

Many people also volunteered to hand out how to vote cards at polling places, some so passionate about their politics they travelled from outside the electorate to do so.

Wendy and Kevin Morrison made the two-hour drive from Numurkah in the state’s north to Epsom Primary School to hand out cards for the Animal Justice Party, because there were no candidates in the electorate of Murray.

The day was a family affair for Alf Hooley and son Brigge Ruyter-Hooley, who were both handing out cards for the Greens, Mr Hooley having done so for about 10 years.