With the federal election just around the corner, more than 18 million Australians are preparing to cast their votes and have their say in the nation’s future.
But did you know that if you’re enrolled and don’t vote, you could be hit with a fine of up to $222—and even risk a criminal conviction?
Australia is one of only 16 countries in the world that actively enforces compulsory voting. All eligible Australian citizens over the age of 18 have been required by law to enrol and vote in federal elections.
If you’re on the electoral roll and fail to vote in the federal election this Saturday, May 3, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will send you a notice asking for an explanation.
If you don’t have a valid reason, you’ll be hit with a $20 administrative penalty. Ignore that, and the fine can escalate to $222, and you could even end up with a criminal conviction if the matter goes to court.
It’s not just an empty threat. There have been real cases of Australians who refused to vote on principle or simply didn’t turn up, and ended up with fines, legal costs, and a criminal record. In 2016, a Darwin man who refused to vote was ordered to pay $308 in fines and costs. A Tasmanian woman who disagreed with the voting system was fined $180 and given a criminal conviction.
To avoid a fine in the upcoming Australian federal election, you should make sure to cast your vote on Saturday, May 3, at your designated polling place.
If you are unable to vote on election day, you can do so earlier by visiting any early voting centre across the country, which are open from 8am to 6pm before the election.
Alternatively, if voting in person is not possible due to valid circumstances, you can apply for a postal vote—but make sure to submit your application before the official deadline at 6pm on the Wednesday prior to election day, and the AEC recommends applying as early as possible.
Life happens, and sometimes it’s genuinely impossible to vote. The AEC recognises valid and sufficient reasons such as serious illness, a natural disaster, or some other accident. If you receive a notice for not voting, you’ll have the opportunity to explain your circumstances. The Divisional Returning Officer will review your explanation and decide whether to waive the penalty.
Forgetting, being too busy, or simply not wanting to vote generally won’t cut it. The AEC is quite strict about what constitutes a ‘valid and sufficient’ reason, so it’s best not to leave it to chance.
Even if you turn up, your vote only counts if it’s valid. In the last federal election, only 84.7% of enrolled Australians cast a valid vote. The rest either submitted a blank or an incorrectly filled ballot or didn’t vote at all. If you’re unsure how to fill out your ballot, don’t be afraid to ask for help at the polling place—staff are there to assist.
It’s easy to feel like one vote doesn’t make a difference, but history tells a different story. There have been seats decided by just a handful of votes, and your participation helps shape the policies and direction of the country. Plus, with the current polls showing a tight race between the major parties, every vote does count.
Throughout the five-week campaign, polling has consistently shown Prime Minister Anthony Albanese maintaining a strong lead over Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, with the Coalition trailing in voter surveys.
The latest YouGov poll, released on Friday, placed Labor ahead of the Coalition at 53.5% to 46.5% on a two-party preferred basis. Additional national polls from Resolve, Essential, Morgan, and DemosAU similarly showed Labor leading, with margins ranging from 52–48 to 53–47. Although the Morgan poll recorded a slight drop in Labor’s support from a high of 55.5–44.5 to 53–47, this decline was not reflected in the other surveys.
Despite the polling disadvantage, Mr Dutton remained optimistic, urging supporters not to be swayed by unfavourable media coverage and expressing confidence in a Coalition victory. To win the election, the Coalition must gain 21 seats to secure a majority—an outcome its leaders still believe is within reach.
As the nation approaches election day, the final days of campaigning and polling data highlight the importance of civic participation in shaping Australia’s future. The choices Australians make will soon be reflected at the ballot box.
What are your thoughts on Australia’s system of mandatory voting? Do you think current polling figures will match the final election outcome? Have you already cast your vote, or are you planning to vote on election day? Feel free to share your insights or questions in the comments below. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and constructive.
Also read: From the doable to the downright impossible: your guide to making sense of election promises
I am wholly in favour of compulsory voting and the preference system. Although the preference system avoids the multiple polling where there is not a clear majority as occurs in many countries, it could be simplified, not making multiple numbering mandatory … a simple change to counting, binning ‘spent’ votes if their preferences don’t have a chance. Compulsory voting, I think, favours the left as those least likely to bother to vote are those in lower socioeconomic and educational groups who cannot really understand the alternatives before them and just go for the hand-outs
I don’t believe in Mandatory voting. In other countries you can choose if you wish to vote or not. I have voted but politics are nasty. Broken promises etc.
I don’t agree with mandatory voting. The Govt is forcing me to do something I am against.The only reason they make it mandatory is that no one would bother showing up to vote because there is no one worth voting for.
I read Gaz’s comment and laughed. We live under a democracy, so how iws voting mandatory. As for the prefence system, that is so stupid, how can you give a vote to someone you have never heard of, or a weird party you have never heard of, that is just wasting time. Preferences are unfair too. In Tasmania, many years ago a guy received the highest number of votes in that electorate, but did not get in as preferences mad him lose out . Is that fair ? of course not. We are supposed to live under the Westminster system, that is the biggest load of B.S. We definitely do not. I lived under the Westminster system for many years before coming here. There, you mark the person who represents the party you want ion, in your electorate with a cross. Only one person for Labour, Conservative, Liberal, Scottish nationalists and so on. Just one vote, not 6 or more, and it is NOT compulsory. Therefore, no postal votes to be counted. That is why the answer is known on the same night, not one month later, and as for asking people who live overseas to vote, that is absolutely stupid when they aren’t living here. What idiot made that rule up .And they have two houses, commons and Lords, not 4 or more like we have, which complicates its understanding further.
With those last few lines in Gaz’s comment shows which party she leans towards. What an attitude ! Class system reigns in her eyes.