Polls Close in Australia’s Eastern States as Federal Election Vote Counting Begins

Nationwide Polling Closures and Staggered Times

Polls in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland closed at 18:00 local time (08:00 GMT). Nationally, polling stations shut at 6 PM in each time zone, resulting in staggered closures across Australia’s three time zones. The final closures will take place by 20:00 AET (10:00 GMT) in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

AEC Begins Real-Time Vote Tally and Indicative Count

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) started counting ballots immediately after regional poll closures, with live updates on its website. An “indicative count” is also published to offer early insights into potential results, aiding media projections and political party analyses.