The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is urging Victorians not to ignore a request for an explanation as to why they failed to vote in the local council elections in October last year.
The VEC has issued close to 530,000 ‘Apparent failure to vote notices’, with recipients asked to respond by the 28-day deadline with a detailed explanation.
The Commission says the notice is an opportunity to avoid a fine if non-voters provide a detailed response with supporting documentation. The VEC is required to automatically fine non-respondents or those who do not provide a valid reason for failing to vote. The penalty is $99.
Electoral Commissioner, Sven Bluemmel said recipients should contact the VEC for assistance if unsure what to do, rather than ignore the notice.
“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,” Mr Bluemmel said.
“Information on what to do if you receive an apparent failure to vote notice is available to view in 10 in-language videos.
“I also encourage you to sign up to our VoterAlert service, to make sure you’re notified whenever there’s a state or local council election you need to vote in.”
