WYNDHAM Council stands to collect $2.6 million from fines issued to more than 37,000 residents who did not vote in last month’s council election.
Victorian Electoral Commission figures reveal that 37,599 of Wyndham’s 114, 376 registered voters failed to return their ballot papers in time.
Each resident who failed to vote faces a $70 fine, unless they can provide an adequate reason to the VEC by this Saturday.
Only Maribyrnong had a lower participation rate, with 64 per cent of residents casting their vote compared to Wyndham’s 67 per cent.
Macedon Ranges had the highest voter turn-out in the west, with 74 per cent of residents returning their ballot packs on time.
In Melton, just 68.5 per cent of voters took part in the election. The large number of candidates was blamed for the city’s low participation rate.
In Wyndham, Harrison ward had the lowest voter turn-out, with 63.5 per cent of residents taking time to vote.
Voter participation in Chaffey ward was 67.9 per cent, and in Iramoo 70 per cent of people voted.
In the previous council election in 2008, Wyndham’s overall voter turn-out was 73.8 per cent.
Residents over 70, or those who own property but don’t live in the municipality, aren’t required to vote.
A VEC spokesman said it was unusual for voter participation to be so low in a postal election.
“Typically, you get a higher turn-out at ballot paper elections because everyone gets a ballot pack in the mail, where as with attendance voting, people have to actually show up.”
