Voters reveal early picks for federal election in pre-polling centres

A trickle of voters unable to make it to the ballot boxes on May 3 turned up at voting centres around the state for the first day of pre-polling. What some of the voters had to say and where you can vote early.

Genevieve Holding and Rob Inglis

2 min read

April 23, 2025 - 5:00AM

2025 Federal Election in Tasmania – Brighton Civic Centre. Picture: Caroline Tan

Tasmania

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It was a slow start to pre-polling for the federal election in Tasmania on Tuesday, with the anticipated flood of early voters slow to appear at centres in the state’s south.

While the doors of Bridgewater’s Brighton Civic Centre were late in opening, the early morning only brought a relaxed movement of voters through the doors.

One Lyons voter – a retired Bridgewater resident – said she had already made up her mind ahead of arriving at the booths, stating she took the role of voting seriously.

“It’s a responsibility to keep yourself informed and ensure that your values and beliefs are what you are voting for,” she said.

2025 Federal Election in Tasmania – MyState Bank Arena. Picture: Caroline Tan

“In the lead-up to an election, I always make sure to read about the candidates and listen to advertising and media reports, then I use the party’s ‘How to Vote’ cards to fill in the blanks.”

Another Lyons voter at the MyState Bank Arena polling centre said she was voting for Liberals as they approached the government “like a business”.

“Parties will make promises and allocate funds before they’re elected, but sometimes that doesn’t happen,” she said.

“I vote with Liberal because they have the knowledge to ensure our hospitals, schools and roads are paid for and managed effectively, like a business.”

A steady trickle of voters flowed into the pre-poll centre at the Sorell Bowls Club as it officially opened its doors for the first time on Tuesday morning.

Volunteers from Labor, the Liberals, and the Greens spoke amicably among themselves between greeting people and handing out how-to-vote cards in the ultra-marginal electorate of Lyons.

2025 Federal Election in Tasmania – Brighton Civic Centre. Picture: Caroline Tan

As the clouds broke and the rain set in before midday, Liberal candidate Susie Bower joined volunteers outside the bowls club, conversing with sodden electors as they shuffled their way out of the drizzle and gloom.

One veteran teacher told the Mercury that she had been a long-time Liberal voter but had recently turned away from the major parties in favour of independents, citing climate change and the transition to renewable energy as key factors in her decision.

Another female voter said she was a shift worker and was voting Labor because she trusted the party to protect penalty rates.

As they filed out of the polling booth, one couple could be heard lamenting the fact that they couldn’t recognise the names of any of the candidates on the ballot paper.

Labor candidate for Clark Heidi Heck was among the many party volunteers outside of the MyState Bank Arena pre-poll centre, braving the brisk conditions to hand out flyers.