Same-sex marriage: Campaigners ramp up last-minute efforts to get Australians to enrol

As the deadline looms for Australians to update their voting details ahead of September's same-sex marriage postal survey, advocates aim for record enrolments.

Volunteers from The Equality Campaign look at a computer screen at a pop-up enrolling station in Pitt Street in Sydney, Thursday, August 24, 2017.

Volunteers from The Equality Campaign look at a computer screen at a pop-up enrolling station in Pitt Street in Sydney, Thursday, August 24, 2017. Source: AAP

Advocates for both the 'Yes' and 'No' marriage equality campaigns were out in force on Thursday to encourage Australians to enrol for the upcoming same-sex marriage postal vote.

Pop princess Kylie Minogue has joined marriage equality campaigners in a last minute push to make sure as many people as possible are registered to vote in Australia's same-sex marriage postal survey.

Equality Campaign members took to city streets and university campuses across the country to encourage people to make sure they are on the electoral roll before tonight's midnight deadline.

Kylie, who once campaigned with former fiance Joshua Sasse to make same-sex marriage legal in Australia, joined the chorus of encouragement.

"Aussies! #loveislove & it's for everyone. Today is the final day to make sure you're enrolled. Don't wait!," she tweeted.
American television host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian born actress Portia de Rossi, also tweeted to encourage people to enrol to vote.

So did Australian actress Margot Robbie.
Campaigners for the 'No' vote also encouraged Australians to enrol.

Lyle Shelton, the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Tweeted his support for all to enrol.
Co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality Alex Greenwich was on hand at a pop-up enrolling station in Sydney's bustling Pitt Street mall on Thursday to target hundreds of early morning commuters.

Many people were unaware of tonight's deadline, he said, but were motivated to enrol once they knew about it.

While most of the commuters said they supported same-sex marriage, others made it clear they would be voting no.

"We agreed to disagree," Mr Greenwich said.

Mr Greenwich said campaigners in the yes corner were spending the final hours before the deadline targeting the country's major thoroughfares, university campuses and social media encouraging residents to enrol.

The federal government announced their $122 million same-sex marriage postal survey earlier this month, to be run by the Australian Bureau of Statistics pending a High Court hearing in September.

As of Wednesday the Australian Electoral Commission had added 54,545 names to the roll since the announcement and made 577,879 updates.

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Published 24 August 2017 1:08pm
Updated 24 August 2017 10:18pm
Source: AAP


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