Vic Municipal Elections

[Silent Alarm]

Last local election the old man had a heart attack the day before. He went down to Melbourne on a chopper and I followed by car. Was at the hospital all next day so missed the vote.

Wrote my letter with supreme confidence of getting a pass, mentioning hospital records would back up my account.

Bastards still fined me.

Did you put it in at all or what?

 

[flashmanvc]

Did you put it in at all or what?

The vote? No, thought I'd wait for the letter asking for an explanation then reply with what happened. Figured that would be enough.

 

[FredLeDeux]

The vote? No, thought I'd wait for the letter asking for an explanation then reply with what happened. Figured that would be enough.

The first responses are usually dealt with by semi-trained casual staff. You should have rung up and asked to speak to a supervisor.

 

[flashmanvc]

The first responses are usually dealt with by semi-trained casual staff. You should have rung up and asked to speak to a supervisor.

I'm sure if I complained loudly enough they would have waived the fine, I just couldn't be arsed, given what else was happening at the time.

Point is, in my experience, they are pretty strict on what constitutes a valid excuse.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I'm sure if I complained loudly enough they would have waived the fine, I just couldn't be arsed, given what else was happening at the time.

Point is, in my experience, they are pretty strict on what constitutes a valid excuse.

It varies from council to council.
When the VEC runs the election for the council, it asks the council which of a longish standard list of excuses will be OK, and the council ticks off the ones it will accept. The VEC then applies them for each council as the explanations come in. Some councils accept anything, some accept almost nothing.

 

[Silent Alarm]

It varies from council to council.
When the VEC runs the election for the council, it asks the council which of a longish standard list of excuses will be OK, and the council ticks off the ones it will accept. The VEC then applies them for each council as the explanations come in. Some councils accept anything, some accept almost nothing.

Do you know what these tend to be for Melbourne?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Do you know what these tend to be for Melbourne?

No, sorry.

 

[Sinjin Smith]

Are councils persistent following up the fines? I was living in Hawthorn some years back didn't vote, got the fine letter, didn't bother with it, few weeks later I went to work OS for four odd years and since coming back never had a follow up despite being enrolled.

I have no idea how it all works, what if you said "well I did a postal vote and it was lost in the mail"?? How would they prove it?