VEC Urges Response to 'Failure to Vote' Notices to Avoid Fine
In a recent development, nearly 530,000 Victorians have been issued notices for their apparent failure to vote in the local council elections held last October. These individuals are being asked to provide a detailed explanation for their non-participation within a 28-day deadline.
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Those who respond with a sufficiently detailed explanation and appropriate supporting documentation may be able to avoid a fine. However, those who fail to respond or do not provide a valid reason are subject to a $99 fine.
Sven Bluemmel, the Electoral Commissioner, advises those who are unsure about how to respond to the notice to seek assistance rather than ignore it. He stated, ‘If you need help understanding what the notice means and what you need to do, you can call us on 1300 551 575 or visit our website at vec.vic.gov.au.’ Bluemmel also mentioned the availability of 10 in-language videos that provide information on how to respond to a failure to vote notice.
In addition, Bluemmel encouraged individuals to subscribe to the VoterAlert service, which provides notifications about upcoming state or local council elections. The service, which sent reminders to 2.5 million enrolled voters at key points during the last election, can be subscribed to at vec.vic.gov.au/VoterAlert.
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