Election in Australia 2/7/16... A link to avoid being fined for not voting

[fishy]

To the Aussy mob. A link to avoid not being fined for not voting in the upcoming election 2/7/16.

http://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/pdf/forms/overseas/16-0771-overseas-notification-form.pdf

[smoooth2]

Good Post. Thanks fishy.

Cheers                

[Ahab]

How is that mandatory voting requirement working out in Australia?

I personally think it is a bad idea, but wondering if I might be missing something. I always figured if someone did not care enough about an election to voluntarily go and vote, that it is probably a bad idea to force them to vote.

Reminds of a phrase "The beatings will continue until moral improves", in my opinion some things should not be forced.

[smoooth2]

Compulsory voting for Federal elections, State elections and Referendums is law in Australia. Personally, it's something I just accepted as an Australian citizen. Nobody really likes politics or politicians, but compulsory voting at least encourages the population to know what's going on in their country.

Apathy is the alternative.

Compulsory voting requires a person to turn up at their local voting place, usually a school. Your name is then crossed off in the electoral roll. Archaic as it sounds, the officer still uses a ruler and a pencil to do this.

You are given a ballot paper to fill in. It is not compulsory to fill it in correctly. If you have the shits with the system, and hate the world in general, you can make a real mess on your ballot paper. All done in private of course in your little cubicle.

It is compulsory to drop your completed, neatly folded up ballot paper into the box as you exit the hall. Staff will not let you exit unless you drop the ballot paper into the box.

If you've made a deliberate, or mistaken mess of your ballot paper, when counted later that night, it will be deemed "an informal vote".... invalid, not to be included in the results. You've wasted your democratic right to choose your country's next Government.

Of all Australians citizens eligible to vote, only 94% are actually registered on the electoral rolls. The missing 6% is nearly 1,000,000 people. Nobody knows where they are, or why they have not enrolled.

At the 2013 Federal Election 93% of registered voters turned up. 6% of those voters made an invalid (informal) vote.

[fishy]

Smooth ... good selection of words. Explained very clearly. Ahab my response to your question is to look at the current situation in Thailand... If I post my thoughts on the political situation here in Thailand I may be evicted or even worse end up in the monkey house. The majority populace of the country should have the right to decide how the country is run even though it may not be the best decision.

I should probably eat my words here as I have opted not to vote!!! O well I'm living in Thailand now...!

 

[Ahab]

Thanks for the reply. I think everyone should vote (if you can), I am just am not sure that a government requirement to do it is the answer. In the USA it is so easy to register and vote that there is basically no reason to not do it, except apathy.

[Ahab]

What is the penalty for not voting in Australia?

[smoooth2]

What is the penalty for not voting in Australia?

Federal election - 500 baht (AUD $20) for first time offenders

State election - 500 baht up to 1900 baht (AUD $20 up to $76) depending on which State you live in.

A letter is always mailed first, asking you to give a valid reason for not voting. Living in a rice field in Buriram is apparently considered an ok answer, as I've had a few letters over the years, with no subsequent penalty applied.

The penalty amount does escalate pretty quickly if you are stupid enough to contest the letter.

Aussie expats in Thailand can vote at the Australian Embassy in BKK if they are feeling particularly patriotic. I guess that is the same situation for all expats from various countries.

 

[rufusredtail]

DONT WASTE YOUR VOTE ,GIVE IT TO MALCOLM TURNBULL

[fishy]

The thread is running a little bit.... So for those Ozzie's keen on actually making a vote you can do an absentee vote at the Embassy in Bangkok from the 20th of June going by their web page. Maybe an excuse to get out of town an visit the big smoke... Pauline Hanson  might be worth a vote of confidence.... Only an Ozzie could relate to that one.....

[Wozza]

Pauline Hanson???  "Please explain"

[fishy]

Onya Wozza ... Have to Larf at that reply...!!

[fishy]

Just giving this thread a bump as there is a NSW state election this Saturday in Australia.. 23/03/2019 If you want to avoid the fine fill the document out in my original post #1 scan and upload to the AEC website as explained on the form... Make sure the scan is less than 4mb otherwise it will not go through.

[iammike]

@Fishy

Not an aussie, but the link in your Post #1 isn't working anymore !

Edit:

Found this https://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/overseas/index.htm

[fishy]

Thanks Iammike?. I did not even check if link still works.... Attached is a PDF... The instructions still work Ok as I received confirmation via e-mail.