The sun shone heartily throughout the Ballarat electorate on Saturday as voters headed to the booths for the 2019 federal election.
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People took the opportunity of the autumnal warmth to walk their children and dogs to the polling places across the region, and the local sausage sizzles and coffee stalls did a roaring trade.
Country polling booths have a different ethos, a different style to the more aggressive and pushy booths in the cities and bigger regional centres. It's not uncommon for party pamphleteers from opposing sides of politics to help each other by handing out two sets of how-to-vote material if someone needs a toilet break or to disappear for a while.
The warmth got voters out early, and by midday party volunteers reported the volumes of people coming through the gates of the schools and bowling clubs had diminished to a few per hour.
In Clunes the sausage sizzle was run to benefit the Clunes Primary School where polling was held. It was popular; so much so some people voted early and came back for a second sausage later. The workers were kept busy offering and providing cups of tea to the party volunteers, who chatted amiably among themselves.
In the background music wafted across from the verandah of a nearby home. The occupants were practising for a gig, and thought it might be a pleasant accompaniment to the active practise of democracy nearby.
At Creswick, the coffee machine had broken down early but was up and running in time to give most voters their caffeine fix alongside cake and the ubiquitous democracy sausage. Again, the party faithful showed a willingness to set aside differences, aiding a man needing assistance to get into the booth with offers of wheelchairs and guidance.
Across the booths, from Learmonth to Miners Rest and back to Clunes and Creswick, it was a great day for dogs and their owners, with all party volunteers telling The Courier it was the greatest turnout of four-legged companions they had seen for many elections. At Creswick, voter Dan and his daughter Mabel brought their Jack Russell crosses Polly and Jake out for walk and meet the locals - which they did with the greatest enthusiasm.