In Australia, voting is often seen as a community celebration. On polling day, surfers and beachgoers queue up in their swimwear to cast their ballots before grabbing a celebratory ‘democracy sausage’, a free hotdog handed out to mark the occasion.
Weather notwithstanding, these images stand in stark contrast with the drab and dreary election cycles in Northern Ireland, which often descend into a sectarian headcount.
Australia’s turnout – upwards of 95% – is also very different to that of Northern Ireland. Voter apathy was seen as the biggest hurdle for parties going into the North’s local elections, particularly given the continued mothballing at Stormont, but with an average turnout of 52%, the electorate has never been all that engaged.
