Voting in Australia election closes in populous eastern states

3/5/2025 17:38

General election voting has closed in Australia's populous eastern states, including the cities of Sydney and Melbourne, with two more hours of voting left on Saturday in Western Australia in what has been a closely fought race.



Opinion polls showed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor Party with a narrow lead over the conservative opposition after a campaign dominated by concerns over the high cost of living and the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.



Labor had trailed in the polls as recently as February.



Polls closed at 6 p.m. in Australia's most populous eastern time zone, which also includes Brisbane and the capital, Canberra.



The state of South Australia and the Northern Territory will close at 6:30 p.m., followed by Western Australia, home to the city of Perth, at 8 p.m.



Results could start coming in for individual constituencies within a few hours after polls close, although it could take several more hours or even days for a final result, depending on how close the vote is.