The Department of Registration of Persons states that public services, including one-day services, will not be available at the head office and provincial offices on May 06 and 07.

Australia goes into elections as 18 million voters will determine who the next prime minister will be.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the left-leaning Australian Labor Party is seeking re-election and his challenger is Peter Dutton of the conservative Liberal-National coalition.

Cost of living is the main election issue. Voters are also concerned about the affordability of health care and housing.

Donald Trump also looms over the vote as Australia, whose people value “mateship” of friendship and loyalty, is not spared from the US president’s tariffs.

There’s a record 111 overseas voting locations across 83 countries this year, according to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The largest hubs of Australians abroad are in Berlin, Hong Kong, London and New York. 

Official results can take days or even weeks to come, but as soon as polls close, the Australian Electoral Commission will start releasing unofficial preliminary results, which historically indicates who will form the next government.

(Agencies)

The Meteorology Department states that the Intertropical Convergence Zone (where winds from the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere converge) further affects the island’s weather.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Uva, Eastern, and North-Central provinces after 1.00 pm.

Fairly heavy falls of about 75 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, and Uva provinces.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places elsewhere on the island during the afternoon or night, the Met. Department said.

Showers or thundershowers may occur in the Western and Southern provinces and in the Puttalam and Mannar districts in the morning too.

Thus, the general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in the Central and Uva provinces and in the Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts during the morning, it added.