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5 million Aussies at risk of $55 fine this weekend

People walk the streets of Sydney and a person removing $50 notes from a wallet.
Don't forget to vote this weekend or risk copping a $55 fine. (Source: Getty)

Local elections are taking place around New South Wales tomorrow and if you fail to cast your vote you could be getting a fine in the mail.

There are more than 5.27 million New South Wales residents enrolled to vote in the state with local elections taking place on Saturday.

And, if you fail to cast your vote without a legitimate excuse, you will be hit with a $55 fine.

According to the NSW Electoral Commission, if it appears you didn't vote at an election you were eligible for in New South Wales, you will be sent a formal apparent failure to vote notice in the post.

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You will then need to provide a reason for not voting or pay the penalty.

You will be given 28 days from when the notice was sent to you to complete this, otherwise you risk an additional $65 fee.

If you fail to respond, or don’t pay your fine at all, the matter will be referred to Revenue NSW and you could have your licence suspended or cancelled and your car registration cancelled.

What is a legitimate reason not to vote?

Not being aware that an election was taking place is not a legitimate reason to have missed the vote.

Under law, there are a few reasons why someone may not have voted that the government will accept.

These are:

  1. If the voter is deceased

  2. If the voter was absent from the area on polling day

  3. If the voter was ineligible to vote

  4. If the voter has an honest belief that they have a religious duty to abstain from voting

However, it is still possible to avoid the fine if you have another reason not listed above. You just have to respond to the letter sent in the mail with your reasoning and the Electoral Commissioner will need to find your excuse acceptable.

How do I know when to vote?

It is important you know about upcoming elections in your area so, to keep on top of it, you can sign up to this free SMS or email election reminder service to receive notifications about upcoming state and local elections and by-elections.

You can also visit the NSW Electoral Commission website to find out all the information about how and where to vote in any upcoming elections.

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