More than 220,000 Victorians will be sent infringement notices for either not responding to the VEC’s request for an explanation or not having a valid reason for failing to vote in the 2022 state election.
Almost 300,000 Victorians received an ‘Apparent failure to vote notice’ by the VEC in April, with almost 70,000 being excused for valid reasons.
People who did not respond to the original notice will be sent an infringement notice of $92. If you have received a notice, you must respond within 35 days, by either paying the fine, requesting an internal review or electing to go to court.
Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming is urging people who receive an infringement notice to take it seriously.
“The most important thing is that you respond to the notice before the deadline — otherwise you could be issued a penalty reminder notice, which carries the original penalty plus an additional administration fee,” Ms Fleming said.
If you have received an infringement notice and are unsure of what to do, call 1300 551 575 or visit vec.vic.gov.au/voting/fines-and-reviews