While millions of people prepare to cast their votes in one of the tightest state elections in NSW history almost a quarter of those eligible have already voted.
Election booths are set to receive over four million votes across NSW on March 25 after 1,199,121 of the 5,521,688 eligible residents voted and 92,077 cast their ballots through postal votes, as of Friday night.
The election is set to be the closest in decades with state premier Dominic Perrottet and opposition leader Chris Minns spending the final day of campaigning visiting swing seats across the greater Sydney area.
The NSW Labor Party will need to swing nine electorates back to the party in order to win the election and crown Mr Minns the 47th state premier.
Voting in the upcoming election is compulsory for all residents over the age of 18 with those who don’t comply to be hit with a $55 fine.
Over 4million people are set to cast their ballots across NSW on March 25 in one of the closest state elections in history after over 1million have voted early (pictured, stock)
Residents can visit voting centres from 8am to 6pm on March 25 and can find their nearest voting centre on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website.
There are accessibility options at voting centres and information on how to vote in 27 different languages including Auslan, Australian sign language.
Telephone-assisted voting is also available for those who are blind or have vision impairment.
‘Support is available for electors, and I encourage voters to access the many services available,’ said John Schmidt, NSW’s Electoral Commissioner.
Vote counting will continue until around 10:30pm on March 25 with any uncounted votes being attended to the following Monday.
People who aren’t enrolled to vote in NSW, but are eligible to enrol, can still enrol on the day and complete what is known as a declaration vote.
To complete a declaration vote, residents will need to attend a voting centre in person with photo identification that shows their current address.
If NSW residents are interstate or overseas during the election period, they are required to submit their vote via post or have already voted at a pre-poll centre.
Dominic Perrottet (pictured) spent the final day of campaigning criss-crossing across Sydney in a final push to get the NSW Liberal Party across the line and keep him as state premier
Both Mr Perrottet and Mr Minns have tried to secure final votes by swaying millions of Daily Mail Australia readers in the remaining hours of their campaigns.
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Mr Perrotet wrote that the NSW Liberal party will ease pressure from household budgets, increase in home ownership and boost access to more health services at your local pharmacy, as well as a secure bank account for children that the their government will help invest in.
‘Only the Liberals and Nationals have the long-term economic plan to support NSW families and keep NSW moving forward at a time when we understand no family can afford to go backwards under Labor,’ Mr Perrottet wrote.
‘In these uncertain economic times, NSW families need a government that can deliver real relief today, and financial security tomorrow.
‘Only we have the experience, big ideas and energy to guarantee that support for families today and set our state up for a stronger future.’
On the flip side, Mr Minns promised the NSW Labor Party will overhaul the education system following a recent downturn, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, improve health services and increase the pay of essential workers.
‘Only NSW Labor has a plan to deliver real cost-of-living relief,’ Mr Minns wrote.
‘Whether you’re starting out in life, raising a family, planning your retirement or looking to take advantage of the opportunities ahead, I want your future to be the best it can be.
‘I know first hand just how lucky we are to live in New South Wales. But this is not as good as it gets.
‘After 12 years under the Liberals, life is becoming increasingly difficult for many.’
Chris Minns (pictured with his wife Anna) visited Ryde, Auburn and Parramatta on his final day, targeting Western Sydney as an area NSW Labor could flip seats and win the election
By end-of-day Friday, the final day of campaigning, Mr Perrottet had vistited Willoughby, North Shore, Penrith, Holsworthy, East Hills, Ryde, Oatley, and Chris Minns’ marginal seat of Kogarah in the city’s southwest.
‘Only the Liberals and Nationals with a long-term economic plan to keep NSW moving forward,’ he repeated throughout the day.
‘We cannot risk a Labor government.’
While Perrottet criss-crossed his way across the city in a final gambit to get his party across the line, Chris Minns visited the liberal-held Ryde and Parramatta and Labor-held Auburn.
Mr Minns targeted Western Sydney as a potential space for NSW Labor to flip essential seats such as Penrith and Parramatta.
He echoed one of his main campaign cornerstones, ending privatisation of public assets and giving more funding to public schools and hospitals.
‘I believe we can rebuild our schools and our hospitals and do it all without selling the assets that people of this state need to run businesses to run their families and to get around Sydney and NSW,’ Mr Minns said.
