A man squirts sauce on his “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.

Democracy Sausage, Voting In Swimsuits: Bizarre Polling Trends In Australia A democracy sausage is an Australian cultural tradition. It's a simple grilled sausage wrapped in a slice of white bread ...

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 ...

A man squirts sauce on his "Democracy Sausage" at the Marrickville Public School in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, May 3, 2025, after voting in the general election. Rick Rycroft/AP.

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.