Among the most high-profile advocates for change is federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney, who on Saturday appealed to the one-in-five voters she said remain undecided.
"The issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country are a national shame. The good thing is everyone agrees on that. This is people's opportunity to change that," she said.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney believes the 'yes' votes can still win the referendum.
The minister said she had butterflies in her stomach, and was hopeful a 'yes' vote will lead to greater outcomes for Indigenous people.
"If this is a successful referendum, the closing-the-gap targets will be turbocharged," she said.
"We have worked incredibly hard. We've knocked on thousands of doors, rung thousands of phones."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese became emotional at a vote 'yes' event in Sydney as he urged people to recognise Indigenous Australians in the nation's constitution.
"A simple request by the first Australians just to be heard, to have a voice, to be listened to about matters that affect them," he said.
"Nothing to fear here but everything to gain. I sincerely hope that Australians, when they walk into that ballot box today vote 'yes'."
In an opinion piece in The Australian on Saturday, Mr Albanese urged people to vote to change the status quo.
"'Yes' means rejecting the option of doing nothing," he wrote.
"A 'no' vote means no change, just a broken status quo. 'No' is the situation we are living now."
Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin said a 'yes' vote would be the best chance to make real change.
"As you're walking to the polling booths today, and you're deciding what you might write, what your vote might be, just understand this: voting 'yes' gives you a real chance at supporting change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples," he said.
Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy posted a video on social media platform X saying "today is the day", encouraging people to vote yes.
Today's the day! 🖤💛��— Malarndirri McCarthy (@Malarndirri19) Let's say 'Yes' to recognition, listening and a better future for First Nations Australians.To find out your nearest voting booth visit: https://t.co/J9uc3S1YpJ pic.twitter.com/K6xAF58lXjOctober 13, 2023
"Come on down and vote, we've got a sausage sizzle here as well!" she said.
SBS presenter Anton Enis also took the platform, formally known as Twitter, to urge Australians to "be your best self when you step into the polling booth".
Entertainer Kamahl, who has changed his mind several times over his vote, wrote on Friday that "'yes' or 'no' is irrelevant, until we address core issues of our nation's past".Â
Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined campaigners in Adelaide, urging Australians to vote 'yes', with the Home Affairs minister Clare O'Neil telling the ABC the government still believes the 'yes' vote can win.
Senator Wong told people there is "nothing to fear here".Â
"It is an advisory body to parliament and a really positive opportunity for us to recognise part of our history and heritage, and that is 65,000 years of first nations continuous culture in our country."
Labor senator Patrick Dodson urged Australians to vote yes.
"So then when we look ourselves in the mirror tomorrow, we see a proud and compassionate nation reflected back," he posted on the platform X.
Around 70,000 'yes' volunteers are manning polling booths which remain open until 6pm.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers told Nine's Today show the government understands a 'yes' win is an uphill task.
"We're under no illusions about how hard it is to change our constitution, but this is a simple but profound change," he said.
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek said she wasn't thinking about the future if Australia votes 'no'.
"I'm not going to contemplate that because we've still got hours to go and I know there are millions of undecided Australians," she told reporters in Sydney.
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