The AEC announced this week that a record 214,000 people enrolled to vote on deadline day on Monday, the biggest day for in enrolments in Australian history.
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Meaning more than 17.2 million, or 96.8 per cent of eligible Australians are enrolled for the upcoming 2022 federal election.
In the Riverina electorate many of those will be first time voters, with 2996 18 year-olds enrolled to vote come May 21.
Sebastian Masson from The Rock was one of those people who enrolled on Monday and he will be voting for the first time ever in this federal election.
"I left it a little bit late," he said. "Aside from the legal requirement, it's the importance of voting and the importance of having a voice ... it's nice to be a part of that."
At the minute, he remains an undecided voter, having never really had to worry about the major issues until recently, he said.
The Charles Sturt University student grew up in "quite a conservative family, very much the Liberal voting" type, but he said he is open to learning more about what the other parties have to offer in the lead up to May 21.
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"Before the election rolls around I would like to do a little bit of research myself and try and make an informed decision as to what I personally believe," he said.
He recently took the ABC vote compass quiz and scored closer to the ALP on the spectrum. But he admits that he doesn't know much about opposition leader Anthony Albanese and, out of familiarity, feels more aligned to the current Prime Minister.
One issue that does stand out for the 18-year-old first year student is living and housing costs. Having recently moved out of home for the first time he's feeling the pinch.
"As of February this year I've moved out of the family home into Wagga and the housing costs are definitely steep. I'm in a 50-50 rent agreement with Mum and Dad and even then it's a pressure and it's paycheck to paycheck," he said.
Isobel Moane enrolled to vote for the recent local elections, but this will be her first time voting in a federal election.
The 18-year-old CSU student also comes from a Liberal voting family but, like Mr Masson, is keeping an open mind.
"I think most of my family [are LNP voters]. So, I'm following that direction. But now I can make my own decision, I want to see what the other parties could introduce," she said."
"As I'm just starting to ramp up looking at different articles looking at the policies, I am becoming open-minded," she said.
For Miss Moane, honesty is the trait she values most in an elected representative, and believing the candidate will advocate for people like herself.
"And someone who is relatable, that has shared life experiences with the community around them," she said.
As far as politicians go, she likes Riverina MP Michael McComack.
"He's been very vocal for the Riverina and he's just very relatable. But I'm not very vested in other politicians yet."
Aged care and education policies are the areas she will be taking particular note of in the coming weeks, she said, but for whichever party takes government in the coming months Miss Moane wants to see politicians keeping their promises.
"The promises that politicians have made, they actually follow through because that's what people are voting for, especially with aged care, education, housing," she said.
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