The pandemic election is upon us, and it's shaking up the way you'll vote.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It's been described as one of the world's "last great analogue events", and coordinating a vote of more than 16 million people is a mammoth feat at the best of times.
Throw in COVID-19, and organisers have been working overtime to ensure things go smoothly.
Hopefully the May election will be the only time federal leaders are tested during a pandemic.
But with density limits and mandatory masks a thing of the past, how will COVID-19 affect this time around? Will we be waiting longer for results?
And will I get my democracy sausage?
Here's what you need to know.
Will COVID-19 impact voting sites?
A few changes.
Extra staff will be dispatched to ensure voters are maintaining social distancing in queues.
Like always, the AEC will provide pencils at voting booths. But this time, they'll be sanitised between every use to avoid transmission. Roughly 100,000 pencils are used per election, but that will be raised significantly this time - to around 4.5 million.
While the use of pencils on ballots has been a fixation of conspiracy theorists, there are a few practical reasons the AEC uses them: they don't run out, they don't rip the ballot paper, and they're less likely to smudge (particularly in humid regions).
But you can also bring your own writing equipment - pen or pencil - if you're more comfortable with that.
All AEC staff will need to be vaccinated.
Will early votes delay results?
They could.
Both pre-polling (voting in person early) and postal voting (submitting your ballot by post) is on the rise, with more than 2 million early votes already cast.
Early voting often means results take a little longer to become clear, particularly in tight races. We're expecting a few of those this time around, and individual seats could determine who forms government.
Postal votes can arrive later than election day, but even when they arrive early, staff are not allowed to begin counting them until polls have closed.
The AEC predicts that trend will accelerate because some voters are concerned about COVID-19. Early votes accounted for 40.8 per cent of ballots cast at the last election.
The 2020 Eden-Monaro by-election is a good case study; many, including some newspapers grappling with a print deadline, declared a Liberal win, only for postal votes to swing the result for Labor.
Internationally, we've also seen that play out. Former US president Donald Trump stoked conspiracy theories after postal results in key states swung towards the Democrats, in counts taking days.
What if I have COVID?
You can vote via mail or the telephone.
If you've just tested positive to COVID-19, you'll be in isolation on polling day.
READ MORE:
You can apply for a postal vote via the AEC's website until Wednesday at 6pm.
"Applications this late in the election period should only be submitted by voters who have no other voting option," electoral commissioner Tom Rogers says.
If you catch the virus after that, phone is your only option, but information on how that works will be released only after the postal vote deadline has passed.
Will I get my democracy sausage?
Have faith!
COVID-19 restrictions are significantly more relaxed than even a few months ago, and that's the main factor. The AEC will comply with COVID-19 requirements in each state and territory.
Depending on the situation, barbecues may need to be stationed a little further away from the polling stations than you're used to. But there have been a number of by-elections and state elections at which democracy sausages have been served, despite the pandemic.
The AEC's approach also means if QR codes and masks are mandated indoors in your state or territory, you won't be exempt when you cast your vote.