Failing to vote while overseas

[juddles]

G´day people,

just a question, has anyone copped fines for failing to vote while overseas?

My personal situation is that I am working overseas (non-resident in Aus for tax purposes) and after I got sent a swag of mail from the homeland, I got a notification that I have been fined for failing to vote.

Due to the irregular contact I have, the ¨pay by¨ date has passed. The notice includes a reply envelope where I can post back a reason for failure, but I am living in Colombia, which doesnt actually have a postal system. The only way to send a letter is by a private courier.

I admit this is just a bit of a rant, but WTF cannot the Australian government identify those residing overseas by way of a datamatch?

The other thing that peeved me is that I was offered a 50% discount on the fine by paying by the ¨due date¨. If I have commited an offence, why on earth can I get an early payment halving of the fine?? Sounds more like a fee than a legitimate enforcement of a law.

Again, I apologize for wasting everyones time with a rant, but this is not on. And I am usually the first to stand up and defend the powers that be.

 

[dajop]

IIRC, if you are non-resident you can choose to not vote at Australian elections, but from that point forward you forfeit the right to vote at future elections until you once again become a resident. I vaguely recall you need to notify them of change to overseas elector. I am reasonably sure providing suitable documentation that you were out of country at time of election should get the fine waived.

 

[amaroo]

I got one of those for the 2009 QLD state election. I got a late call up for a Vegas piss-up.....sorry, work conference.

Received the notice, wrote a letter, posted it....never heard another thing. I'm assuming all is sweet as my PO Box address has not changed!

 

[juddles]

....providing suitable documentation that you were out of country at time of election should get the fine waived....

Thanks dajop, I sort of feel that is the case. Will have to investigate that method to prevent further occurrences.

It is just far more fun to rant here than do the obvious and spend the time communicating with the authorities - a bit like how everyone asks questions about fares/etc here when what they really need to do is just call the airline!

 

[juddles]

...wrote a letter, posted it.......

Thanks amaroo also - just peeves me that I have to do a courier send (around $7)

Plus still peeved at the discount issue.

Ignore me - long day!

 

[drewbles]

I was O/S for an election (announcement, after and election itself). Received the failed to vote 'bill' and called them. They just wanted a signed letter stating why I didn't vote (as my reason was 100% legitimate) and I received confirmation letter that 'on this occasion your fine will be waived'. Was fairly painless.

 

[Simsy85]

Hey Mate - I work in Politics - if you are overseas, it's not compulsory to vote. Fullstop. You can vote at the Australian Embassy if you wish and I would strongly encourage it - if you don't vote, you have no right to complain!

 

[juddles]

Hey Mate - I work in Politics - if you are overseas, it's not compulsory to vote. Fullstop. You can vote at the Australian Embassy if you wish and I would strongly encourage it - if you don't vote, you have no right to complain!

Simsy, there is no Australian Embassy in Colombia. They used to have a nice English gentleman that performed basic consular functions, but he retired recently ( I know because I put my passport through the wash - wasnt that a bloody drama!!)

In any case I have no huge urge to vote unless Pauline Hanson is back! :&

 

[casanovawa]

Can't you just fax them back something with your signature on it... If they won't accept an email???

Another way is just to say its against your religion to vote and that also gets you off...

 

[medhead]

Thanks amaroo also - just peeves me that I have to do a courier send (around $7)

Plus still peeved at the discount issue.

Ignore me - long day!

Write, sign, scan a letter. email it to someone in Australia and ask them to post it. If it's a reply paid address (starts with "reply paid") they won't even need a stamp.

 

[NM]

If you do end up paying the fine, be sire to keep the receipt so that when back in Australia you can stick it on the back window of your car along with a sign reading "Don't blame me ... I didn't vote!"

 

[markis10]

Just let the AEC know that you are overseas, under the legislation no notice should be sent to those overseas on polling day:

The DRO is not required to send or deliver a penalty notice if he or she is satisfied that the elector: (a) is dead; or
(b) was absent from Australia on polling day; or

COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL ACT 1918 - SECT 245 Compulsory voting

 

[drsmithy]

G´day people,

just a question, has anyone copped fines for failing to vote while overseas?

I received a couple when I was living overseas as I was basically maintaining a local "presence" via my parents address.

Each time I just wrote a letter (heck, might even have been a tickbox on the notice - can't remember) stating I was overseas at the time. Never heard a word back about it.

I admit this is just a bit of a rant, but WTF cannot the Australian government identify those residing overseas by way of a datamatch?

I must confess I find it very comforting this can't be done.

The other thing that peeved me is that I was offered a 50% discount on the fine by paying by the ¨due date¨. If I have commited an offence, why on earth can I get an early payment halving of the fine?? Sounds more like a fee than a legitimate enforcement of a law.

I've never heard on anyone, ever, not being able to get out of the fine by giving an acceptable excuse. I don't think they're trying to make any money out of it.

 

[Archphoto]

Have been overseas for several elections, and never had to pay a fine; I do get mail asking why, call the number and explain I was overseas. They're happy the explanation and it goes no further. (Kind of funny the don't ask for proof, but I'm certainly *not* complaining. . . . . )

 

[Archipelago]

I have been working overseas for approximately 10 out of the last 15 years.As has been mentioned by some posters already - you need to inform the AEC...

To take this a step further (from my own experience) - I simply removed myself from the Electoral Roll. I informed the AEC in writing that I would be moving overseas (tell them you are moving O/S permanently, you can always re-enroll when you move back to Australia).
No notice, no fines.

Did you not inform the AEC when you left? Hindsight is a great thing - but to pass the buck to a 'they should have done a government data match' and then complain about fines, is stretching it a bit

 

[Alh01]

I've regularly been overseas when they called, closed polls, or held the election (usually all of the above), as have some of my offspring. A reply back to the AEC from me alone has worked for all of us, so if you have a relative back here who can call or write to the AEC that should be the end of it. No need for $7 courier even.

 

[RWJ777]

Jeez you better get onto this and send a letter explaining your circumstances or you'll get a summons to appear in court.

 

[robd]

Jnr#1 was studying at Uni in California between August & December last year. In October, our Council election was held. When she returned home in December, she responded to the "please explain" why you failed to vote letter, advising she was living overseas at the time. Today she received an Infringement Notice "INVALID RESPONSE TO APPARENT FAILURE TO VOTE NOTICE".

The letter states that they received her reply to the "Apparent Failure To Vote Notice sent to you for the above election. As your reason is not a sufficient excuse for failing to vote, an Offence is now deemed to have been committed etc. A penalty of $70.00 is now imposed against you."

I hope the legislation mentioned above still applies. What a PITA and waste of time having to sort this out. I

 

[kyle]

Jnr#1 was studying at Uni in California between August & December last year. In October, our Council election was held. When she returned home in December, she responded to the "please explain" why you failed to vote letter, advising she was living overseas at the time. Today she received an Infringement Notice "INVALID RESPONSE TO APPARENT FAILURE TO VOTE NOTICE".

The letter states that they received her reply to the "Apparent Failure To Vote Notice sent to you for the above election. As your reason is not a sufficient excuse for failing to vote, an Offence is now deemed to have been committed etc. A penalty of $70.00 is now imposed against you."

I hope the legislation mentioned above still applies. What a PITA and waste of time having to sort this out. I

My mum is in the exact same situation. I have now written back saying she was absent during the whole postal vote period

 

[NM]

Jnr#1 was studying at Uni in California between August & December last year. In October, our Council election was held. When she returned home in December, she responded to the "please explain" why you failed to vote letter, advising she was living overseas at the time. Today she received an Infringement Notice "INVALID RESPONSE TO APPARENT FAILURE TO VOTE NOTICE".

The letter states that they received her reply to the "Apparent Failure To Vote Notice sent to you for the above election. As your reason is not a sufficient excuse for failing to vote, an Offence is now deemed to have been committed etc. A penalty of $70.00 is now imposed against you."

I hope the legislation mentioned above still applies. What a PITA and waste of time having to sort this out. I

One option is to pay the fine and stick the infringement notice and fine payment receipt to the back window of her car along with a large note stating "Don't blame me ... I didn't vote!"