More People Voted in the Equal Marriage Survey Than in the US Election

Wednesday night marks the end of the national equal marriage survey. That $122 million cluster-fuck you will one day struggle to explain to your children. And after months of Australians turning to each other and saying, "What the actual fuck is actually happening?" it's finally over (almost).

While the results won't be announced until Wednesday the 15th, the ABS has revealed that 12.6 million Australians actually posted the form. As of last Friday, that's roughly 78.5 percent of everyone who was posted a ballot. Not bad for a stalling tactic disguised as a voluntary, non-binding test of public opinion. In fact, we managed to beat the participation rate for both Brexit and the US election, both of which were also voluntary polls.

Obviously though, no one cares about a participation ribbon. We just want to know who will win. Most polls, including the Guardian's much referenced Essential Poll, gives it to the Yes vote. But last week a study of Twitter opinions by Griffith University narrowly handed it to the No campaign. This data analysis technique has previously managed to predict results the rest of the world was blindsided by: including the election of Donald Trump.

Of course, none of this will guarantee or kill the chance of equal marriage actually being legalised. It's all "non-binding" after all. While Malcolm Turnbull has said a "Yes" victory could see the actual legislation changed by Christmas, even that happy ending has a shadow.

Tiernan Brady, Head of the Equality Campaign, told news.com.au he were worried about how No supporters would work to undermine the vote: "The No side have made it very clear that in the event of a Yes victory they will try to unravel existing anti-discrimination legislation."

Former prime minister Tony Abbott, meantime, has got a jump start on the spin. In a recent speech given in the US he claimed that the No team getting 40 percent of the vote would be a "moral victory".

Follow Wendy on Twitter.

Image by Bodie Strain. Follow him on Instagram @pumpkinmook

For more from this fucking survey:

Research Suggests "Yes" Voters Are Smarter Than "No" Voters

Sydney Promises to Give Same-Sex Couples Free Weddings

It's Time to Listen to Your LGBTQ+ Elders