Voters in Cunningham and Whitlam complete their democratic duty amid heavy rain

The polling stations are set to shut after a grueling six-week campaign. Check out what happened on Election Day around the Illawarra.

There were brollies aplenty as the Illawarra headed out to the polling booths in the rain to cast their vote in the federal election.

Around 30 per cent of eligible residents in Cunningham and Whitlam had already voted during the two-week pre-poll period with the region following the rest of Australia’s early voting trend.

The P&C at Port Kembla Primary School were holding one of more than a dozen barbecues across the Illawarra with the volunteers cooking up democracy sausages and selling baked goods to raise funds for the coastal school.

Labor’s candidate in Cunningham, Alison Byrnes, voted at Wollongong Public School inbetween handing out how-to-cards.

Mrs Byrnes, a longtime staffer of the outgoing MP Sharon Bird, is the red hot favourite to claim the seat which has been in Labor hands since 2004.

Wollongong Public School Community Hub volunteers Nesrin Shaaban, Evoon Yacoub and Kawther Daken serving up coffees. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“We’ve got the bacon and egg rolls, we’ve good the community hub doing coffees so it’s been a really good atmosphere here at Wollongong Public School,” she said.

“It’s certainly different as a candidate, you’re going for a job interview with 120,000 people. It’s pretty daunting, but we’ve had lots of supporters and lots of encouragement.

“I’m not taking anything for granted. I’ve been working from dawn to dark every single day. I’ve been talking to as many people as I can and I will continue to do that right up to six o’clock.”

Labor's candidate in Cunningham Alison Byrnes at Wollongong Public School. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Her old boss was down the road at the Wollongong Salvation Army building with Ms Bird saying the importance of the day was not lost on her.

“It’s a really significant day for me and hopefully my good friend Alison,” Ms Bird said.

“It’s been lovely on the polling booths… people coming up saying ‘thank you for the work you did’ which is a really lovely thing.

“It is a little bit emotional [to be retiring]. When you are the MP you become completely attached to your community in a way that is very unique to the job.”

Further north the Year 12 students at Corrimal High School were tossing snags in an effort to raise money for their end-of-year formal while to the south in Whitlam voter numbers were beginning to dwindle by the early afternoon.

Year 12 students at Corrimal High School churning through the democracy sausages. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Incumbent Labor MP Stephen Jones cast his ballot at the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre in the morning, but not before working the booths at Mittagong Public School in the Southern Highlands.

Mr Jones was happy to pose with who he jokingly called “the enemy” aka Liberal member for Whitlam between 1975 and 1983, Michael Baume, who used to be his neighbour.

“I always get nervous on Election Day mornings and this one is no different,” Mr Jones said.

“I’m cautiously optimistic, but we will see. Today is about going to different booths, supporting the volunteers and getting to as many voters as possible.”

Member for Whitlam, Stephen Jones, with former member Michael Baume at Mittagong Public School. Picture: Niki Iliagoueva

When walking through to vote in Dapto, Mr Jones would have passed Liberal volunteer Stephen Hatton who was a Northern Territory Chief Minister during the 1980s.

“Not too many people are taking anyone’s HTV cards,” Mr Hatton, who now lives in Koonawarra, said.

“The young people especially have them on their phones which in a purely democratic sense is good.”

Shellharbour Labor councillor Lou Stefanovski was manning the booths at Warilla High School and made a similar comment, adding he feels it could lead to a spike in informal votes.

The Liberal’s pick for Whitlam, Mike Cains, spent the day at Mt Terry in Albion Park where he said he was pushing a consistent message.

Liberal candidate for Whitlam, Mike Cains, at Mt Terry Public School. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“The vibe has been really positive,” he said.

“People have really responded to our message that we’ve been underrepresented in this area and that unless we’re marginal we’re just not in the game.

“Albion Park and Shellharbour is such an interesting part of the electorate. We know that they get behind good candidates with good messages and it’s fertile ground to be able to deliver those messages to a public that is willing and receptive to them.”

With voting booths closing at 6pm, it may only be a few hours until it’s known who will claim the two electorates.