Australian Non-Voters Fork Over Millions in Fines and Penalties

Australia's compulsory voting system has resulted in over 4 million Australian dollars ($2.78 million) in penalties for non-voters in last year's federal election.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) issued notices to more than 1.3 million people for their 'apparent failure to vote' in the 2025 polls.

Voting is compulsory in Australia, and those who do not fulfil their civic duty face a $20 administrative penalty or a fine up to $330 in court.

As of May, around 207,000 people had elected to pay the $20 administrative penalty, forking out about $4.15 million.