THE CITY’S voters rushed out on Saturday morning to make sure their vote counted.
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They were also rushing to get their hands on some sweet treats or a democracy sausage with volunteers working hard to keep up with demand.
Outside of getting the job done, most voters wanted to see a clear result in the House of Representatives and to avoid the uncertainty of a hung parliament.
“It just creates instability, I’m a big believer in majority rule, if I’m not in the majority then so be it … but I want to see a clear winner,” Scott Hanley said.
Cabonne Shire resident Michelle Calvorson said voting was about making sure the services which are available continued.
"I spend a lot of time watching the policy debate … you get the government you deserve,” she said.
Voter Phil Stevenson said he wanted to see Calare become a marginal seat. “We have more chance of being taken notice of, things cruise along in a safe seat and that’s a danger.”
One of the busiest polling booths was Orange High School, with the sausage sizzle selling out at 12.30pm on Saturday. It was all to pay for a grand piano for the school’s music program, James Cashen, 16, was one of the volunteers cooking the democracy sausages.
“I don’t know whats going in the performing arts centre, but it’s been pretty popular,” Mr Cashen joked.
Labor volunteer Charlie Ginty said Orange High was busiest polling station he’d seen in 38 years.
Saturday was a long day for many, including Theo Crane who was working for the Nick Xenophon Team’s Rod Bloomfield. “It’s a 10 hour shift … it’s about making Calare marginal, and making it matter again,” Mr Crane said.
Questions were raised about the number of staff assigned to Orange Public’s polling station. “There were three people checking off names, in years past there have been eight,” Orange’s Christine Dowd said.
“I have a sore knee, I can’t wait there for 30 minutes, and it’s the same for elderly people, they can’t stand in the same place for a long time. The time should be spent casing your vote, not waiting to do so.”