Australians start voting in general elections as pope's death overshadows campaigning

MELBOURNE – Australians began voting Tuesday astatine general elections arsenic campaigning was overshadowed by the decease of Pope Francis.

Polling stations opened to voters who for a assortment of reasons volition beryllium incapable to ballot connected May 3. Around fractional the votes are expected to beryllium formed earlier the predetermination date.

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and absorption person Peter Dutton cancelled run events planned for Tuesday retired of respect for the precocious pontiff.

Flags were flown astatine fractional unit from authorities buildings crossed the state wherever a 2021 census recovered 20% of the colonisation were Catholics.

Albanese was raised arsenic a Catholic but chose to beryllium sworn successful arsenic premier curate erstwhile helium was elected successful 2022 by making a secular affirmation alternatively than by taking an oath connected a Bible.

Albanese attended a Mass successful grant of the pope successful Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral connected Tuesday morning.

“I effort not to speech astir my religion successful public,” Albanese told reporters.

“At times similar this, I deliberation what radical bash is they gully connected who they are and surely my Catholicism is conscionable a portion of me,” helium added.

Albanese and Dutton, who leads the blimpish Liberal Party, volition conscionable successful Sydney aboriginal Tuesday for the 3rd televised leaders’ debate of the campaign.

A 4th statement is planned Sunday.

Dutton, who was raised by a Catholic begetter and Protestant parent and attended an Anglican school, planned to spell to a religion work successful Sydney.

“I don’t deliberation it’s a time for overt politicking astatine all. I deliberation that the time is champion spent reflecting,” Dutton told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“I don’t deliberation there’s a spot for the assemblage blows of authorities today. I deliberation it’s a precise antithetic time from that,” Dutton added.

Albanese’s center-left Labor Party is seeking a 2nd three-year term.

The authorities held a constrictive bulk of 78 seats retired of 151 successful the House of Representatives wherever parties signifier administrations during its archetypal term.

The little enclosure volition shrink to 150 seats aft the predetermination owed to redistributions.

The large parties are some predicting a adjacent predetermination result.

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