Nearly three-quarters of all eligible Australians have voted in the postal survey on same sex marriage.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says about 11.9 million forms have been returned as of Friday October 20, of the 16 million that were sent out.
For a non-compulsory survey, the return rate is astounding. It is higher than eligible Americans who voted in the 2016 election or eligible Brits who voted in the June general election.
It also surges ahead of the turnout for the Irish referendum on same sex marriage. In 2015, only 60.52 per cent of voters cast their ballot.
Australians have always been consistent voters though, with 91 per cent of voters casting a ballot at the 2016 Federal Election.
Nearly three quarters of eligible Australians have voted in the postal plebiscite on same sex marriage
Tiernan Brady, Equality Campaign director said in Brisbane on Tuesday the high numbers showed Australians were keen to see the back of the survey.
‘Today’s result shows Australians clearly want this issue to be dealt with as quickly as possible,’ he said.
‘We hope a strong Yes result will encourage Parliament to ensure marriage equality is a reality in Australia by Christmas.’
Equality Campaign Queensland field director Nita Green encouraged people to continue speaking about the survey and encouraging others to vote ‘before it’s too late’.
She said the high turnout rate so far showed ‘Australians are passionate about the important issue of marriage equality’.
The ABS revealed more than 11 million postal surveys have been scanned through their system
Australians have turned out in huge numbers over the past month for rallies in support of same sex marriage
With only four days to go before the recommended deadline for returning surveys, both sides are campaigning harder than ever to ensure their side comes out on top when results are released on November 15.
Coalition for Marriage spokesman Lyle Shelton said in a statement the group would continue to campaign for ‘every last vote’.
‘There are still millions of Australians who are yet to vote in this survey and there are a lot of people we need to reach,’ he said.
‘If they, like so many others, are tired of the bullying tactics of the ‘yes’ camp, then they should make sure they vote ‘no’ and return their ballots as soon as possible.
‘Our campaign continues at full speed. We are going for every last vote,’ he concluded.
Crowds have also gathered to argue for keeping the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman
A spokesperson for the Coalition for Marriage said the campaign would continue to fight for every last vote
The Australian Bureau of Statistics recommends all Australians post back their survey by October 27 as voting closes on November 7.
Results will be finalised and released on November 15.
The Federal Government has pledged to introduce a Private Member’s bill into Parliament if the majority of Australians vote yes, though the public decision will not be binding, and some MPs have vowed to ignore it.
The deadline to return postal survey ballots is Friday October 27 and results will be posted on November 15