Pre-polling stations across Launceston were inundated on Friday by Tasmanians eager to cast their vote in the federal election and decide who will represent one of the country's most marginal seats for the next four years.
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Among the pollsters and party volunteers, the residents of Bass cut through a sea of campaign material as they made their way to the voting booths.
Despite the frenzy of activity outside the polling station, many voters on Friday arrived at the polls with their chosen candidates clearly in mind - backed by the issues that mattered most to them.
Simon Corkery said with stability needed now more than ever he was keen to keep the Liberals in place.
"At the moment, it's time for a bit of stability," he said.
Mr Corkery said while he was not convinced either of the major candidates was the "right person for the job", his vote came down to recent experience, and what the Liberals had done for his community and football club.
"At the moment, Bridget, I think she's done a pretty good job in her first stint," he said.
"She's done a lot of work with the football club that I'm involved with.
"He [Ross Hart] is probably just more unproven."
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On the other side of the aisle, a vote for Labor was seen as a chance for a fresh start, with the party addressing several key issues from climate change to healthcare - according to one voter.
Launceston man Ian Bell said while the $20 million investment in a Northern hospice facility - committed to by both parties - was one of the most significant commitments to come out of the election campaign, Labor's "positive agenda" and a promise of integrity had earned his vote.
"It's a more positive agenda across a spectrum in terms of climate change, in terms of helping those people who need help most, in terms of rebuilding their capacity to genuinely provide some outcomes, and of course, they're going to, hopefully, bring some integrity back into politics because I think that's been shown to be very lacking in the current cabinet," he said.
In the Senate, Tasmanian based party the Jacque Lambie Network was seen by one voter as the best option to address the growing issue of homelessness facing Tasmania.
Kaye Shaw said with Ms Lambie's backing, Tammy Tyrrell had secured her vote, and cited the JLN's grassroots campaigning and advocacy for "strugglers" as an area in which the party had performed well.
"I think she has stuck up for the right people that need it, she's there for the strugglers and there's so many people struggling," she said.
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Andrew Chounding
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
