Traditionally a fundraising opportunity for local school parent and friend associations and other community groups, the democracy sausage sizzle could be found at numerous polling booths across New England in election years gone by.

But, according to democracysausage.org, this year there were fundraising barbecues at only two polling booths in New England on Saturday, May 21 - Rocky River Public School and Uralla Central School.

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Earlier this month the Armidale City Public School P&C held its biggest annual fundraiser - the school fete - on Mother's Day weekend. So there was little appetite to resource a democracy sausage sizzle.

"The fete is something that is a long-standing tradition and it would have meant backing up a few weeks later and the decision not to do that was made by our P&C," said school principal Deborah Nay.

"I can't speak for other schools but I do know a few of them had other things going on as well."

Drummond Public School did plan to have a democracy sausage sizzle but an unforeseen delay with the school's insurance meant the P&F was unable to proceed. They will use the hundreds of sausages and bread slices (now frozen) for an internal school event in a few weeks' time.

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However, there was one community group reaping the rewards on election Saturday.

The ladies from the Armidale Zonta International group ran their fundraising barbecue outside Bunnings.

And while the Bunnings media team were keen to point out to the Express this was not technically a democracy sausage sizzle - the Zonta group cleverly took to social media to promote the only sausage sizzle in town.

And their efforts paid off with the local apolitical association doubling its normal takings for a Bunnings barbecue.

Zonta International is a worldwide service organisation of females who are actively engaged or have experience in a recognized business or profession. The Zonta Club of Armidale has a particular interest in young women and encouraging them into non-traditional female careers such as mathematics, science and engineering.

Apparently, the demand for sausages spilled into Sunday when the Dumaresq Lions Club took over the Bunnings barbecue and sold out of supplies. Members took off to the shops only to find Aldi had also sold out of plain beef sausages.

The Express understands there were no complaints about the substituted gourmet snags.

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