Tasmania's compulsory council voting faces 50,000 no-shows and fines
Tasmania's Electoral Commission expects about 50,000 voters (12% of enrolled) will skip council elections. They face fines under compulsory voting rules introduced in 2022.
Tasmanian council elections have compulsory voting, but tens of thousands are expected to skip them and risk penalties. By mid-October, only 47.9 per cent of postal votes had been returned.
That's down from 50.9 per cent at the same point in 2022. Electoral Commissioner Andrew Hawkey said the commission expects to contact about 50,000 people who did not vote.
"This year, the full failure-to-vote process will apply, including penalties where appropriate," Hawkey said. In 2022, no penalties were actually issued despite the threat.
Local Government Minister Kerry Vincent defended compulsory voting as making democracy stronger. "Democracy works best when everyone has a say, not just those with the time, motivation or grievance," Vincent said.
Former Central Coast mayor Sue Smith agrees that local government matters most in everyday life and deserves high participation.
- 50,000
- Expected no-shows
- 12 per cent
- Percentage of enrolled voters
- 47.9 per cent
- Postal votes returned by mid-October
- 50.9 per cent
- Same point in 2022
Why it mattersCompulsory voting was meant to boost council election turnout and engagement. But turnout is falling. Now the government is enforcing fines for the first time.
AustraliaTasmanians voting in council elections now face financial penalties if they don't cast a ballot, a policy unique to state-level council elections in Australia.
Corroborated bytheadvocate.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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