After five long weeks of campaigning, D-Day has arrived and Australia goes to the polls today to elect a new federal government.
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It was a warm Saturday morning in Mount Isa with six polling stations open at stater schools: Central, Barkly Hwy, Happy Valley, Sunset, Healy and Spinifex Senior Campus.
As usual Central, with its location in the middle of town, attracted the largest crowds with a likely 1500 people expected to vote.
It was quieter at other booths the North West Star visited though Healy had the added attraction of democracy sausages thanks to volunteers at the school's P&F.
The three major parties, Bob Katter's KAP, the LNP and ALP all had workers at each booth and there were no workers present for any of the minor parties, the Greens, the UAP or Fraser Anning.
None of the candidates themselves were in town.
The sign outside Barkly Highway State School read "be respectful" and there was certainly a respectful atmosphere at that and other booths where rival party workers mixed good-naturedly and no reports of concerns.
The only issue raised with the North West Star was a second entrance at Sunset forcing parties to split their resources.
Word was that numbers were well down on previous elections, likely a reflection of the numbers of people that pre-polled.
The Mount Isa pre-poll office was extremely busy on Friday night right up to closing at 6pm.
You can vote today until 6pm at locations listed here.
Bob Katter is favourite to be returned in Kennedy though the national result could be tighter with most polls predicting a narrow Labor victory.
In the other important vote of the day in Mount Isa there appears to be a very clear winner:
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