Moreland City Council Failure to Vote Fine

• 

  humdingaling on 22/03/2017 - 15:45

  the problem if you already attempted to explain failure to vote so any other reason would be a lie? or whatever you said first is a lie

  seems the most valid reason given is akin to not being in the area

• 

  Sergeant Salami on 22/03/2017 - 15:55

  Tell them that your religious beliefs prevent you from voting on the failure to vote notice.

  • 

    Diji1 on 22/03/2017 - 16:03

    -3

    Unfortunately duh gummints treats going after people on the roll that did not vote as a sort of pointless religious crusade where, much like the church, they forced people to submit to particular actions regardless of how pointless it actually is.

• 

  Diji1 on 22/03/2017 - 16:00

  -1

  We need to stop pretending that we live in a country that respects people's basic freedoms. Being forced to vote or face a fine is clearly not that.

  You are actually better off just not enrolling to vote if it is your wish to not participate.

  • 

    clarebear on 22/03/2017 - 16:53

    You can actually be automatically enrolled. http://www.aec.gov.au/FAQs/Enrolment.htm

  • 

    mskeggs on 22/03/2017 - 17:01

    +2

    As you well know, you are only forced to have your name marked off the roll.
    You can do this remotely via post, via a pre-poll, on the day at any of several polling places or you can cop a fine.

    It keep sthe electorate more engaged than the 30%+ who whine when they don't vote and don't like the outcome in places like the USA.

• 

  holdenmg on 22/03/2017 - 16:00

  You must pay this fine or take other action within 42 days of the date of the infringement notice. The matter will become more serious and costly if you ignore this notice.

  You have the following options if you receive an infringement notice:

  pay your fine
      apply for a payment plan
      apply for an extension of time to pay
  request an internal review
  have the matter heard in court.
  

  https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/Voting/WhatIfIDidntVote.html

  • 

    mikep23 on 22/03/2017 - 16:04

    suppose what i'm really asking, is it worth applying for an internal review? i don't think i explained the situation very eloquently on the original form but would that matter? Is being unaware of the obligation a valid reason for not voting?

    • 

      NancyCat on 22/03/2017 - 16:26

      unaware of the obligation

      Pretty sure this is not a valid reason to appeal any fine. E.g Unaware of speed limit for a speeding fine, unaware of permit parking for parking in a permit only zone, unaware of compulsory voting for not voting…

• 

  altomic on 22/03/2017 - 17:02

  +1

  It's worse than living in north Korea!! For one hour every 2 years or so we must tick or number some boxes so that we have a small input into who leads our government.

  This sort of fascist dictatorial enslavement of citizens to voting makes a mockery of democracy.

• 

  abb on 22/03/2017 - 17:02

  "what would be a valid reason for not voting?"

  If you're away from home, didn't know about the election, couldn't vote.

  Last year I was sent overseas for work at short notice. There was some election on while I was away.
  I did actually try to vote online (people back home told me the election was on), but it didn't work.

  Got an SMS a couple of weeks later telling me that my explanation was accepted.

• 

  Randxyz123 on 22/03/2017 - 18:17

  I wrongly assumed that voting was not compulsory as that had been the case in the Hobart City council elections that I was used too. I was aware the election was taking place but didn't think that I needed to vote and had little interest in the election as I was new to the area. Anyway I attempted to explain this in the 'Apparent Failure to Vote' notice and today received a $78.00 fine for an invalid response to apparent failure vote notice.

  Just wondering if I could get some advice on whether this is a valid reason?

  So you were aware the election was on and didn't bother checking the rules about council voting when you moved states, and you told them that?

  what would be a valid reason for not voting?

  Being overseas, sick, elderly and unable to get to the voting centre , disabled and unable to get to the voting centre etc

  You have no chance of getting out of it. Pay the fine and move on with your life.

• 

  MrHyde on 22/03/2017 - 18:29

  +1

  I got a similar letter and I said back that I did vote - through Postal vote on this day and submitted it to this particular mailbox. They need to chase Australia Post on what happened to my vote.

  I haven't heard back from them yet on whether that was accepted or not.

• 

  zappy32 on 22/03/2017 - 20:50

  +2

  I think you probably made the mistake of telling the truth. As a fellow ex-Tasmanian it is so much easier to just got a letter in the mail with a return envelope that you you can complete and return if you wish to vote.

• 

  mikep23 on 10/05/2017 - 09:06

  just as a follow up, received a 'notice of withdrawal of infringement' letter today after requesting an internal review and providing an itinerary of a flight out of the state (was close enough to the election date to seem legit). So for anyone looking for future reference best bet is too go for being absent during the election i'd say.

  cheers for all the responses