A worker hands a man a “Democracy Sausage” at the Marrickville Public School in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, May 3, 2025, after voting in the general election.

While the term “democracy sausage” only caught on in the last decade, the Museum of Australian Democracy says the tradition dates back to the 1920s, after Australia made voting compulsory in 1924.

The democracy sausage’s success is partly because of how Australia votes. A worker hands a man a "Democracy Sausage" at the Marrickville Public School in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, May 3, 2025 ...

Enjoying a sausage – or ‘sag’ as it is known in Aussie slang – after casting your vote has become a beloved Australian election day tradition.

The democracy sausage’s success is partly because of how Australia votes. Elections always occur on Saturdays and are family affairs — voters arrive with their children and dogs.

A worker hands a man a "Democracy Sausage" at the Marrickville Public School in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, May 3, 2025, after voting in the general election.