But even here, deep behind Melbourne's inner-city hipster-proof fence, the beef "democracy" sausage reigned supreme.

That was according to a volunteer behind the barbecue at Thornbury Primary School at least.

"It's about 95 per cent beef sausages," Jo Siekris said.

So it was that Labor candidate Clare Burns was among the minority as she ate a vegetarian sausage at the school gates and tried to convince voters of the Andrews' government forward-thinking credentials.

"We're really lucky in Victoria to have the most progressive government in the country," she said.

She said voters were talking about local issues - but that one theme was dominating.

"What they're talking to us about is housing, and how fairness really needs to be put back into the housing market," she said.

Labor's key message was enough to convert 29-year-old Hayley Marks.

She cast her vote at Santa Maria College - where the only sausage for sale was beef.

"I always vote Greens," she said. "Today I voted Labor first and Greens second".

The medical researcher and renter said her decision was "purely" down to housing.

"I'm getting to that stage now where I want to buy a house," she said. "I'm trying to save for a deposit ... But it's hard.

Ms Marks said she believed Greens candidate Lidia Thorpe saw housing affordability as a federal issue while Ms Burns thought the state government could help make the market fairer.

"That was enough to change my vote," she said.

For others, the Labor message was wide of the mark.

Daniel Aspinall, 42, said he voted Greens first, Labor second.

"I feel Greens better represent me in terms of marriage equality and other progressive policies," he said.

The publisher said he was not primarily influenced by local issues but was not impressed by Labor's "single issue" campaign.

"Also, I think you've got to keep them honest," he said.

"I like state Labor and I like what Daniel Andrews is doing, but if you keep returning the same party they start to take you for granted".

Another factor which drew Mr Aspinall to the Greens in Northcote was a theme driven home at the polling booth by Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale. He and state leader Samantha Ratnam flanked Ms Thorpe while she cast her vote at Thornbury Primary School as the Greens rolled out their big guns.

"The people of Northcote have a chance to make history today by electing the first Aboriginal woman to the Victorian parliament," Senator Di Natale said.

Mr Di Natale portrayed the campaign as one of a party funded by corporate donors, developers, and the alcohol and gambling industries against a grassroots campaign.

But for others trying to influence the vote, neither party was sufficiently progressive nor independent.

Retired union official Mick Doran was handing out how to vote cards for Dr Joe Toscano - despite admitting the anarchist's vote was likely to be "not very much".

"I probably voted Labor in 1983 - but never again after that," he said.

"The Greens are probably my number two choice but, with all the shirts and the posters, you can see they are going the way of the other parties."

Another long-term resident said the very people who had made Northcote a Labor fortress for 90 years had been forgotten in all the talk of progressive politics - the working class.

The one-time Labor voter stood out among the crowd of younger volunteers at the gates. Frank Argondizzo said he had voted Labor in every election since emigrating from Italy to Northcote 50 years ago.

This time, he was handing out how to vote cards for an independent candidate

Mr Argondizzo said he worked on a Ford factory line for two decades before "the Greens destroyed my job".

"They never talk about poverty and they never talk about jobs," he said.

"You never meet a poor greenie, they've all got wealthy parents.

"They don't even work, they suck on coffee."

With all its diversity, an argument might be made Northcote's voter were better reflected by another item volunteers were selling at the polling booth - a rainbow flavoured pack of ice blocks. And even they weren't giving any indication of which way the seat would swing.

"We can't tell yet whether there have been more green or red zooper doopers sold yet, there's too much of a mix of colours," Ms Sierkis said.