Almost 3,500 voters in Sunbury may not have returned their ballot papers in last October’s Hume City Council elections.
There are 45,582 registered voters in the town, and many of the 3,481 (7.5%) who don’t appear to have voted may now have to answer to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).
According to official data, 1,866 people did not vote in Jacksons Hill Ward, and 1,615 voters did not return their ballot papers in Emu Creek Ward (won by Kate Hamley).
The value of a vote was made clear in November’s results when Sunbury’s Jarrod Bell (Jackson Hill) was returned to office by a margin of 16 votes following a recount. He subsequently became mayor of Hume City and the council’s official spokesperson.
Across the city, 162,753 ballot papers were sent out and 22,597 (14%) were not returned according to figures supplied by the council to VEC.
Sven Bluemmel.
The VEC is now sending ‘please explain’ letters to apparent non-voters, and is required to issue a $99 fine if a person fails to respond within 28 days of getting the request (see video below).
“An ‘Apparent failure to vote notice’ is not a fine – it’s a chance to explain why you appear not to have voted,” says electoral commissioner Sven Bluemmel.
“If you respond to the notice in writing with a valid reason and evidence, you are much more likely to be excused.”
During the October local elections there was talk of people claiming to be official vote collectors asking householders for their voting papers, and speculation any votes that did not support a particular candidate being dumped. Nobody was employed by the council or VEC to collect voting papers.
In addition, a postbox in busy Fawkner St, Westmeadows, was allegedly stolen at a time ballot papers were being returned.
Voting in local council elections is compulsory in Victoria if you were enrolled to vote. Voters can sign up for reminders about future state and local council elections at VoterAlert.
Hume City Ward
Apparent non voters
Aitken Ward
2,021
Bababi Marning Ward
2,624
Burt-kur-min Ward
2,017
Emu Creek Ward
1,615
Jacksons Hill Ward
1,866
Merlynston Creek Ward
2,906
Mount Ridley Ward
1,987
Roxburgh Park Ward
2,129
Tullamarine Ward
1,714
Woodlands Ward
1,701
Yubup Ward
2,017
Total
22,597
Data / VEC based on figures from Hume City Council.
