Received a notice for failing to vote?

Notice of failure to vote

The Tasmanian Electoral Commission has recently posted notices of apparent failure to vote in relation to two different elections:

2023 Launceston City Council mayoral by-election

2023 Upper House divisions of Launceston, Murchison and Rumney

If you have received a notice about your failure to vote, please turn the letter over and choose the relevant option, sign and post it back, or pay the penalty as indicated.

Why have I received a fine?

It is an offence to fail to vote at Tasmanian parliamentary and local government elections without a valid and sufficient reason. The TEC sends two letters to the last known postal address of a person who has not voted.

If you don’t respond to either of these letters, your fine will become an infringement notice, issued by the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service (MPES), and the penalty you are required to pay may increase.

Less commonly, an infringement notice will be issued because the reason given for failing to vote was determined not to be valid and sufficient and the penalty has not been paid.

If you did not vote, and you have no valid and sufficient reason, you will need to pay the penalty noted in your letter.

You can do this online or in person at Service Tasmania, or over the phone on 1300 885 175.

Visit Service Tasmania for payment details

If you did not vote, and you believe you have a valid and sufficient reason, please provide your reason on the back of the letter and return it in the enclosed reply-paid envelope.

If you did vote, please provide details on the back of your letter and return it in the enclosed reply-paid envelope.

What else should I do?

Check your enrolment

In many cases people do not receive letters we send them because their electoral enrolment is not up to date. You can check your current enrolment and, if you need to, update your enrolment via the Australian Electoral Commission website.

Sign up for VoteAlert

Request to receive a text message reminder when it's your turn to vote, register your interest by calling the TEC on 1800 801 701.

Non-Voter FAQs

Q. In what areas of Tasmania were the last Legislative Council elections held?

A. On Saturday 6 May 2023, elections were conducted for the Legislative Council (Upper House) divisions of Launceston, Murchison and Rumney.

Q. Has there been more than one election in Launceston this year?

A. Yes. In May, an attendance ballot requiring electors to vote at a polling place was held for the Upper House division of Launceston. In July, a compulsory postal by-election was completed to fill the vacancy of mayor on the Launceston City Council.

Q. A family member who was away interstate, overseas or no longer living in Tasmania at the time of the election has received a notice. What can I do?

A. Turn the letter over, provide the reason for their failure to vote, sign it on the elector's behalf and return it in the reply paid envelope enclosed.

Q. I no longer live in Tasmania, or the division where an election was held, so why did I receive a notice of failure to vote?

A. The rolls used for elections typically close several weeks before polling day. It is possible that at the time of an election you were still enrolled in a division where you were required to vote. If you weren't living in the division at that time, complete and return the form on the back of your notice to provide that information.

You can also head over to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website to check or update your enrolment.

Q. I am having difficulty completing the form. What can I do?

A. Contact the TEC on 1800 801 701 - our staff will be happy to help.

Received a fine?