Same-sex marriage: 'No' campaign needs three out of four remaining votes to win

More than two-thirds of Australians have cast their votes in the same-sex marriage postal survey and the latest poll suggests the Yes campaign has taken a strong lead.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics received 10.8 million forms (or 67.5 per cent) by Friday, up from 10 million the previous week.

Now a special Newspoll survey shows 59 per cent of those who returned their postal ballots are in favour of legalising gay marriage.

Just 38 per cent of the votes returned were voted no.

Supporters of marriage equality are seen at the Post Your Yes Vote Street Party at Taylor Square in Darlinghurst, Sydney on Sunday. Source: AAP

A King Street store in Newtown shows their support. Source: AAP

That means the only the way No campaign could win would be by three out of every four remaining forms to return with a no vote.

“This is a great result and confirms that Australians want to get this done and are returning their surveys in record numbers," equality campaigner Shirleene Robinson said.

“Australians have recognised how important this issue is to their family, friends and colleagues and are doubling down to ensure that when this campaign is over we are left with the fair, equitable and inclusive country that we all want,” she said.

Equality Campaign executive director Tiernan Brady is confident the majority of Australians will back changing the Marriage Act.

Local resident Jason Dunn scrubs "NO" graffiti of his letterbox. Monday, October 2, 2017. The word "No" has been graffitied through large parts of the Sydney suburb of Stanmore. Source: AAP

"I think we've confidently won the argument," he said on Tuesday.

Mr Brady said opponents of same-sex marriage had spent weeks trying to shift the marriage debate onto other topics.

"They've talked about everything apart from marriage equality and I think the Australian people have seen through it," he said.

Sydney Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher delivers homily against same-sex marriage at St Mary's Cathedral. Source: AAP

Australia's support for same-sex marriage had hovered between 60 and 65 per cent for the past five years, and Mr Brady is hopeful the figure will be reflected in the postal survey results.

"I think the public have made their mind up," he said.

The survey closes on November 7 and the results will be released on November 15.