Crikey’s referendum day guide: What’s on TV, where to vote — and how to find a democracy sausage

The Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum will happen on Saturday, October 14.

The question on the ballot paper will be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

We’re answering readers’ lingering questions about the Voice here, but here is information specifically on what to expect on referendum day.

When do polls close? 

Polling booths will open at 8am and close at 6pm, local time. People can vote at any polling place in their own state and territory — for people who are interstate, there will be special interstate voting booths. 

The ballot paper will include a box where voters write either “Yes” or “No”.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has an online tool that helps people find a suitable voting place. Early and postal voting are options as well — the AEC has more information on that on its website. Early voting places close Friday, and the deadline to apply for a postal vote is 6pm on Wednesday, October 11.

Just like on an election day, many polling places will offer democracy sausages for sale. There is an online tool for finding those as well. 

Voting is compulsory. 

When will we know the results? 

Because polls close 6pm local time, some states will finish voting later than others.

AEC commissioner Tom Rogers has said he won’t be able to officially declare any states until postal votes have been counted. The return date for postal votes is two weeks after October 14.

The ABC’s Antony Green writes on his blog that that delay doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll have to wait two weeks to find out the result: “Unless the result is very close, we will know the result on election night. And if the polling is correct, we may know the result very quickly … If Yes or No has a significant lead on election night when four-fifths of votes are counted, it is highly unlikely that the outstanding one-fifth of the vote can overturn an election night lead. Except in the case of a very narrow Yes lead.”

An AEC spokesperson told Crikey: “The timing for when Australians get an indication of whether or not the referendum will be carried entirely depends on how close the margin is.”

Journalists will be fed results through the evening via the AEC, the same way elections work. 

What’s going to be on TV?

It’s safe to assume all the major television networks will offer live coverage of the vote count. 

The ABC will begin its coverage at 5.30pm AEDT and the people on screen will reportedly include David Speers, Bridget Brennan, Patricia Karvelas, Laura Tingle, Isabella Higgins and Green. TV guides indicate the coverage will run until 10pm.

The Australian reports Sky News will begin its “in-depth coverage” at 5pm AEDT. The program will be anchored by Kieran Gilbert, and the panel will include political editor Andrew Clennell and hosts Chris Kenny and Peta Credlin.

Sky’s coverage will also include Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, Nationals leader David Littleproud, Indigenous affairs commentator Anthony Dillon and former Labor minister Stephen Conroy, as well as hosts Paul Murray, Laura Jayes and northern Australian correspondent Matt Cunningham.

A Nine spokesperson told Crikey: “We will be providing updates throughout the day and dedicated news coverage in the evening, including a special late bulletin.”

Seven had no information on its coverage, but a TV guide showed slots marked “The Voice referendum” at 7pm and 9.50pm. 

How many people have voted early? 

As of Sunday, October 8, the AEC had received 2,21,581 early votes. The commission had received 1,945,823 postal vote applications, and 92,162 people had voted via an AEC mobile polling team.