The Labor and Liberal candidates in Australia's most marginal electorate, Macquarie, have made their final pitch to voters on Saturday morning.
Sitting Labor MP Susan Templeman voted at her home town of Winmalee, pushing the issues of climate change, aged care, childcare and health.
Liberal Party challenger Sarah Richards was at East Blaxland when voting started and centred her final pitch on the government's handling of the economy.
Ms Richards planned to vote at Glenbrook later in the day.
Both candidates said they were feeling hopeful and optimistic.
"I'm feeling really hopeful that this election will not just see me returned in Macquarie, but will see an Albanese Labor government because this country really needs a change," said Susan Templeman.
She urged undecided voters to consider a range of issues when casting their vote.
"For me this election is about a few things. It's about finally getting action on climate change that's going to make where we live an easier place to live. It's about getting a government that takes the vulnerability we face seriously and therefore takes action to prepare for the natural disasters that we know we are going to see," she said.
"This is also a chance for us to fix aged care so people there are treated with respect; to have cheaper childcare and allow women to get back and work when they want to; and to make sure all the way in between that people's health is protected because we've got a good Medicare system."
Speaking to Gazette at East Blaxland not long after voting started, Sarah Richards said she was feeling "optimistic and hoping that Macquarie is ready to change back to Liberal and of course keep the Coalition in government".
She urged undecided voters to think of the economy.
"Think about the economy and think about our future," she said.
"I think over the last few weeks the Coalition has had a stronger message on the economy, which of course equates to people's hip pockets and cost of living... Labor's policies across 151 seats in Australia show we will be in more debt [if they are elected] and I think people need to consider that someone has to pay for that."
With the seat of Macquarie including the Liberal-leaning Hawkesbury and Labor-leaning Blue Mountains, both candidates also had messages for rusted-on major party voters they would like to see change their vote.
"My message to them is you get one vote in this show and that's for who represents you and your local community," said Ms Templeman.
"I'd encourage them [Liberal voters] to set aside patterns of forever and take a chance, and know that in three years time if they don't like what I'm doing, or what a government is doing, that's when they have another chance to have their say."
Sarah Richards asked Labor voters to consider backing the Morrison Government.
"Please consider it. You have a very stark choice in front of you this time. I think the choices couldn't be further apart. A choice of a government that knows what they're doing and has got us through a pandemic, [and] has plan moving forward, compared to an opposition leader who frankly doesn't even know his own policies... It's a choice I'd like them to deeply consider," she said.
The seat of Macquarie is the most marginal in the country, with Labor's Susan Templeman holding it by a 0.2 per cent margin.
