THE VOTE IN NUMBERS

13 million voters are choosing all 150 members of the House of Representatives, in which the largest faction forms the government, and half the places in the 76-member upper house Senate.

Voting is compulsory and a failure to vote draws a 20-dollar (14 US) fine.

8,000 polling stations are spread across the vast outback, rain forests, cities and resorts of the world's smallest continent. Seats range in size from the 25-square-kilometer (10-square-mile) Wentworth in Sydney's wealthiest beachside suburbs to Kalgoorlie, a 2.3-million-square-kilometer swath of Western Australia state the size of western Europe.

Polling stations open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. First votes are cast in the island state of Tasmania at 2100 GMT (Friday) and the last booths close in Western Australia at 1000 GMT.

Unless the result is very close, computer projections of the election winner are expected to be announced within two hours of polling stations closing along the heavily populated east coast (0800 GMT).

THE VOTE PROCESS

An unusual and complex preferential voting system in which voters rank all candidates on their ballots in order of preference.

A candidate who receives more than 50 percent of first preference votes is elected outright. If no one gets the 50 percent, the candidate with the lowest number of first preferences is dropped and all their votes transferred to second-ranked candidates.

The process continues until a candidate has a majority of the votes.

THE CANDIDATES AND PARTIES

Slightly more than 1,000 candidates from 40 parties are vying for the House of Representatives and 330 for the Senate.

Prime Minister John Howard's conservative coalition grouping his Liberal Party and the rural-based Nationals held an eight-seat majority in the outgoing House. Howard, 65, has governed since 1996 and is seeking a fourth term.

The main opposition Labor Party, led by 43-year-old Mark Latham, had 64 seats.

The Senate was controlled by Labor, minor parties and independents.

Minor parties include the environmental Greens, centrist Democrats and a new, Christian-based party, Family First.

Latest opinion polls out Friday indicate Howard's coalition will be returned to power, but a large number of undecided voters could swing the election to Labor. The Green vote is expected to significantly increase and the Senate is tipped to remain under the control of Labor and minor parties.

ISSUES

Foreign: International issues led by Howard's controversial decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq and the threat of international terrorism surprisingly figured low on the campaign agenda. Labor vowed to bring Australian troops home from Iraq if elected, Howard says they will stay as long as needed.

Economy: Howard's strongest suit has been the economy, which has grown solidly during his nearly nine years in power, with unemployment and interest rate at decades-old lows. Howard claimed interest rates would rise under the less-experience Latham, a charge denied by Labor and dismissed by most economists. Latham has vowed responsible spending and future budget surpluses.

Social: Education, health and care of the elderly dominated the campaign with both major parties pledging billions of dollars in new spending. Labor said the election was a referendum on the public health system which it claimed was in crisis due to neglect under the conservative government.

Environment: Water conservation and limits to logging in Tasmania's ancient forests topped the agenda. Labor has promised to sign the Kyoto Protocol on curbing greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. Howard has refused to sign the treaty, saying it would harm Australia's economy.

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