No has been the popular vote in Echuca-Moama in the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
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Exit polling conducted by The Riv at the St Mary’s Parish Centre, the venue for early voting, illustrated 69 per cent of respondents said they had voted no, compared to 31 per cent voting yes.
All, but one of the people surveyed had made their decision before entering the polling venue.
Decided voters also made up almost the entirety of Yes voters, with 95 per cent of those respondents saying they had made up their mind before arriving.
The gap between Yes and No voters is much wider in the Echuca-Moama region than in the state or national poll data conducted by Resolve Political Monitor.
Its poll, conducted between September 22 and October 4, still predicts the No vote to win nationally as well as in Victoria and NSW, but it suggests a much narrower victory.
Its data shows 56.1 per cent of people nationally voting No, with 54.2 per cent and 52.3 per cent in Victoria and NSW, respectively.
One person said they had started as a No voter but became a Yes supporter after doing their own research.
All people who gave commentary spoke with assuredness about their vote.
This aligns with the data regarding the number of people who told The Riv that they decided before going to the polling site which way to vote.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell voted against the referendum in the lower house.
“I have reservations about a constitutionally enshrined instrument of government based on race,” he told the Shepparton News in May.
“This is not about following the party line; it is a decision I have come to after listening to the arguments and weighing up my own principles.”
For a referendum to pass, it needs what is called a double majority. This means that both a majority of the overall national population and a majority of people in a majority of states need to vote in favour of the proposition.
The votes of people living in the ACT and the Northern Territory count only towards the national majority.
For people who plan on voting on Saturday, The Riv has confirmed with the AEC that voting sites are state-specific.
This means people whose electorate address is in NSW will need to vote at a NSW polling booth, and Victorians will need to vote within their state.
Nearby Victorian voting sites include:
– Echuca East Primary School, 21-31 Eyre St, Echuca.
– Echuca Primary School, 413-431 High St, Echuca.
– Echuca Recreation Centre, College Dr, Echuca.
– Tongala Public Hall, 92-96 Mangan St, Tongala.
– Rochester Secondary College, Edward St, Rochester.
– Lockington and District Community Centre, Barton St, Lockington.
– Nanneella Estate Primary School,159 Bennett Rd, Nanneella.
– Bamawm Sports Centre, 714 Bamawm Hall Rd, Bamawm.
– Kyvalley Public Hall, 534 Scobie Rd, Ky Valley.
– Torrumbarry Public Hall, Murray Valley Hwy, Torrumbarry.
– Youth Club Hall, 7 Unwin St, Kyabram.
– Kyabram Sports and Entertainment Centre, 408 Allan St, Kyabram.
– Girgarre Primary School, 524 Winter Rd, Girgarre.
– Stanhope Community Hall, Godley Pl, Stanhope.
– Picola Public Hall, 1 Picola-Barmah Rd, Picola.
– Merrigum Primary School, 14 Judd Ave, Merrigum.
– Nathalia Sports and Community Centre, 32-42 Robertson St, Nathalia.
– Gunbower Memorial Hall, 11 Main St, Gunbower.
– Leitchville Primary School, 2-4 Hawken St, Leitchville.
– Rushworth P-12 College, 45 Heily St, Rushworth.
– Victory Hall Tatura, 77-83 Hogan St, Tatura.
– G T Coulson Community Activity Centre, Echuca Rd, Mooroopna.
– Mooroopna Primary School, 16-18 Obrien St, Mooroopna.
– Cohuna Show Pavilion, Cohuna Recreation Reserve, Island Rd, Cohuna.
Nearby voting sites in NSW include:
– Moama Public School, Simms St, Moama.
– Mathoura Visitor Business Centre, 23 Moama St, Mathoura.
– Bunnaloo Public School, Fitzroy St, Bunnaloo.
– Riverside Reception Centre, 15 Murray St, Barham.