Tens of thousands of early votes cast in Wannon division ahead of referendum

Australian Electoral Commission early voting numbers show about 34,500 residents had voted at pre-poll centres in Wannon as of October 12.

Close to 7000 postal votes have been received from the division.

In the landmark referendum, voters will decide whether to approve altering the constitution to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body - the Voice to Parliament - which would advice on matters that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Pre-poll centres opened on October 2 for those who are unable to vote on the day of the referendum - October 14.

The busiest day so far was on Tuesday, October 10, when 2208 votes were cast at Warrnambool's old Callaghan Motor site on Fairy Street.

Residents have also voted at pre-poll centres in Portland, Hamilton, Colac, Barwon, Ballarat and Ararat.

In Portland, residents can vote early at Legacy Lodge in Wellington Road and for those in Hamilton, they can head to the Senior Citizens Centre in Lonsdale Street.

An AEC spokesperson said early voting centres would remain open until Friday for those who can't make it to a polling place on October 14.

A record number of Australians enrolled to vote in the referendum.

The AEC has directed voters to check their website to find the nearest polling place or early voting centre.

"The number of people who cast an early vote typically increases going into the final week of an electoral period," the AEC said on X (Twitter).

"The busiest days at our early voting centres are typically the two final days.

"The number of votes cast at early voting centres so far is broadly comparable to the same stage of last year's federal election.

"That event was the first time in [Australian] history that postal votes and votes cast at early voting centres combined to be more than half of all votes cast."

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