From climate change to the economy, federal election voters took a wide range of issues with them into the ballot booths across Wagga on Saturday.
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At North Wagga Public School polling station, Peter Taylor said he considered the economy to be the number one issue influencing his vote, but he was also concerned about climate change.
Pratthana and Ian Strachan, from Wagga, also considered climate change to be the biggest issue for them.
Russell Taylor, who had brought children Caden, 9, Jake, 8, and Evie, 6, with him to vote, said he was going to vote along party lines, rather than picking a particular issue.
Myles and Dan have been manning the Kooringal Public School barbecue for about an hour.
But Dan, at least has had a lot of practice here. For seven years he's been the school band's Barbecue Man.
"I've had five kids go through the band at this school," he said.
"They've all got scholarships with RCM now, but I've got a son coming up wanting to play the drums.
"I'll be stuck here another three years, I'd say!"
What makes theirs the best democracy sausages in the electorate? The cause.
"We've got to raise between $2,000 and $3,000 to get the concert band off to the national band festival in August."
Every polling centre wants to attract the crowds with the best waiting line performances, don't they?
Kooringal Public School might have won that unofficial but much coveted award with their live band performances.
Members of the school's concert band, the three saxophone players spent the morning playing renditions of classic show tunes and popular hits.
President of the concert band and father of the alto saxophone player, Dan said it has been something the students have been doing for years.
"There has never been a need to twist their arm to get down here, if it involves music they just love doing," he said, while flipping #democracysausages at the obligatory barbecue.
Here they are busting out a classic tune from the film score of 'Aladdin'.
Described as Turvey Park's 'A-team', Andrew Morrison and Andrew Bomm are the unsung heroes of the polling centres.
Manning the barbecue during "the hang over hour", they say their locally-sourced sausages are the best in the electorate.
What makes theirs the best?
"It's the chefs, the quality control, the products, the whole bit," Mr Morrison said.
Mr Bomm agrees, admitting of their first name double up, "We're like the two Ronnie's, only funnier!"
Gillian Clifford, of Flowedale, voted at Ashmont Public School with her granddaughter Mackayla, aged 8.
"I had an inkling if who I was going to vote for before I came down here," she said.
"I have been listening to the candidates on TV and apart from a lot of them acting like children, I think I voted good."
Ms Clifford said she never considered voting early.
"I think it was Gladys Berejiklian who said 'things change'," she said.
"There could be some big reveal that changes how you vote."
Labor candidate Mark Jeffreson has voted at Turvey Park on Saturday morning.
On his right lapel, he wore the face of former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke, who died earlier this week.
Mr Jeffreson said it was his son who broke the news of his passing.
"He called me and said, "dad I didn't want you to just see this on the news,' it was good to hear it from him."
With party people using the hashtag #ForBob today, Mr Jeffreson said:
"If we get office, we're very happy to give him every ounce of credit.
"He was a wonderful prime minister and an excellent man."
Riverina MP and National Party candidate Michael McCormack said he had been getting a good response from voters at the booths he visited on Saturday.
"I have done a number of booths here in Wagga Wagga as well as the two booths in Gundagai and there has been a steady flow, even though there has been a lot of people at pre-poll," he said.
"Country people, whether they are in the Riverina or Central West, are always polite.
"It's a good day; I know the democracy sausage sizzles are on and many of the public schools have their biggest fundraising day on election day and the mood is good.
It would not be an election day in Wagga, without spotting The Greens' Ray Goodlass handing out how-to-vote cards somewhere.
Having stood as a candidate for The Greens in both the Wagga byelection last year and again in the general election, Ray was today at Wesley Uniting Church to support fellow party member Michael Bayles.
Alongside Ray was Wagga man Kevin Foley, who was handing out how-to-votes for his son Richard, who is standing for the United Australia Party.
Melinda Mann has been handing out how-to-vote cards for as long as she has been a voter herself. But only recently has she moved to Wagga.
Today she was stationed at South Wagga Public School when Greens candidate Michael Bayles popped in on his "lunch break" to vote.
Ms Mann grew up in Tasmania, very close to where Mr Bayles also resided, so meeting each other at the polling centre was something of a homecoming for the pair.
"I just signed up to work down here, I actually didn't know he was from Tassie too," Ms Mann said.
Mr Bayles described the meeting as sparking an "instant connection", and rounding out an "exciting day".
"I've been awake since 4am, just absolutely bouncing. It's very good to actually be here and to actually be voting."
Buoyed by the meeting, Mr Bayles was not phased by apparent lack of recognition many in the centre had for him, or for his newly acquainted nickname: The Other Michael.
"During forums and meetings and things, people say, 'I have a question for Michael', and [Michael McCormack] and I just look at each other to say, 'which one?'. 'Oh the other Michael', they say to him!"
Lance Gillespie has been handing out how-to-vote cards for more than 60 years.
He is now 73, and he started doing it when he was 18.
"As soon as I was voting age, I was down here," he said.
"There's nowhere else I should be."
He has been in Turvey Park since 8am, and will travel around the polling centres until 4pm.
"I used to be a farmer, this isn't a long day for me!"
What keeps him coming back, he said, was the "excitement in a new voter's eyes".
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