While Canadians elected a minority Liberal government this week, our Commonwealth cousins “Down Under” are heading to the polls in Australia’s general election on Saturday.
The stakes are high for voters, who are expected to focus on the soaring cost of living, the economy, energy and China.
But there is an election day perk for Australians even in a ‘wurst’ case scenario — hot dogs.
In Australia, unlike in Canada, voting is compulsory, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. Enjoying a sausage — or ‘snag’ as it is known in Aussie slang — after casting your vote has become a beloved Australian election day tradition.
An election day sausage in bread from a BBQ, colloquially known as a sausage sizzle.
Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images
The tradition involves casting your vote and buying a “democracy sausage” — simply, a sausage wrapped in a slice of bread, typically topped with ketchup — from a fundraiser stall.
For those Aussies who don’t eat meat, there are vegan sausage options. Some stalls also sell cakes and cookies.
While the term “democracy sausage” only caught on in the last decade, the Museum of Australian Democracy says the tradition dates back to the 1920s, after Australia made voting compulsory in 1924.
Local organizations and non-profits often set up fundraiser stalls near election booths to reach families turning election day into a fun family outing.
“Polling places are typically primary schools and community halls, and polling days are on Saturday, lending a family-friendly almost festive atmosphere to polling day as the community comes together to vote,” the museum says on its website.
While Aussies love their barbecued snacks, it wasn’t always sausages they grabbed at their polling booths.
“Early on it was cakes, jams and even crafts, but with the rise in popularity of the portable gas barbecue in the ’80s, this extended to the much-loved Aussie sausage sizzle. It continues to evolve to include elevated options like sourdough rolls, vegetarian sausages and more,” the museum says.
An election day sausage in bread from a BBQ, colloquially known as a sausage sizzle.
Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images
In addition to helping raise funds, including for organizations that volunteer their locations as polling booths, it has also become a fun social media trend, with Australians often posting pictures of their election day snacks on voting day.
And it’s not just voters. Politicians, too, line up to snag their snacks, often leading to the odd faux pas.
In 2016, former Australia Labor Party leader Bill Shorten caused a minor controversy when he bit into the middle of his democracy sausage, rather than biting on the sides.
Shorten made sure to correct that mistake in the 2019 election.
Australian opposition leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe eat a sausage sandwich on a federal election day in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill).
Australia votes
Labor Party Leader Anthony Albanese, who is the incumbent prime minister, and Liberal Party Leader Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, are each claiming to be the underdog ahead of general elections on Saturday.
Albanese visited the eastern states of Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania on Friday. Dutton, who leads an alliance of conservative parties called the Liberal-National Coalition, campaigned in the states of South Australia and Western Australia.
Albanese noted an Australian prime minister had not led a party to consecutive election victories since John Howard, a conservative, in 2004. Howard’s 11-year reign ended in 2007, when he lost his own seat.
“There’s a lot of undecided voters. We have a mountain to climb. No one’s been re-elected since 2004,” Albanese told reporters on Friday.
Dutton was confident undecided voters would back his coalition.
In Australia, where voting is compulsory, many who don’t have strong preferences still turn out to vote to avoid a fine, often not picking a candidate until election day.
“We are the underdog and I think a lot of people will be expressing a real protest vote at this election as well because the prime minister believes he’s won this election,” Dutton said last week.
It’s the first election in which younger voters outnumber Baby Boomers, with demographics expected to play a central role much like they just did in Canada’s federal election.
Both campaigns have focused on Australia’s changing demographics.
— with files from Associated Press