- LIVE: Mallee and Wannon federal election coverage, voting info and results at the Mail-TImes election HQ
- Member for Mallee Andrew Broad begins Wimmera part of election day at Stawell | Video, Photos
- Broad makes a flying visit to Horsham | Video
HORSHAM has seen small numbers of voters turn out for the earliest opportunity to vote the 2016 federal election polling day.
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Polling booths opened at 8am on Saturday at Horsham Country Women’s Association, Horsham Masonic Hall, and Horsham West and North primary schools.
Horsham’s Matthew Spasic was on of the first to vote at 8am at the Country Women’s Association.
He said he was voting to get it over with so he could go and have some fun on Saturday.
“I’ve got far better things to do than watch for the result,” he said.
Horsham’s Doh Soe Pae Htoo, a Karen refugee, voted in his second Australian federal election.
“I never got to vote in elections back in my country,” he said.
“I was in a refugee camp in Thailand for 19 years.”
Member for Mallee Andrew Broad had volunteers distributing how-to-vote cards at all Horsham booths from the start of voting.
Volunteers from the Greens, Mature Australia Party, and Derryn Hinch's Justice Party showing up later in the morning.
Horsham Rural City Council Mayor Heather Phillips delivered how-to-vote cards and put up banners for the Greens at booths around Horsham.
Cr Philips declined to comment on her federal political activity.
Many voters who spoke to the Mail-Times said they had not paid attention to announcements and issues raised during the eight-week election campaign.
Horsham’s Jorja Ward said her friends had told her to vote Labor as she was studying to be a teacher.
Horsham’s Greg James said he had not paid attention to the election campaign but he expected Mr Broad to win Mallee.
Horsham West Primary School principal Brendan Bush was one of a team cooking and selling sausages in bread outside the school’s polling booth .
He said all money raised would go to the Horsham West Parents’ Club, and no particular political party had bought more sausages.
“The Greens’ voters might not have many options. They could have onion,” he said.
A number of Mr Broad’s volunteers said they disagreed with the Mail-Times’ front page editorial on Friday that called for Mallee to become a marginal seat instead of the safest in Australia.
Mr Broad was due to visit Horsham voting booths later on Saturday afternoon.
Former state Member for Wimmera Bill McGrath handed out how-to-vote cards at Horsham West Primary School voting centre.
He said Labor’s chances of picking up seats in Victoria had been damaged by the CFA dispute.
“Overall, the election will be tight. The campaign has gone on for too long," he said.
“Nationally, I would expect the Coalition to be re-elected. The CFA drama has caused a lot of chaos in Victoria.”