Fines for not voting in NT elections
Member of Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory who were registered but failed to vote in 2025 local government elections will receive failure to vote notices this month that could see them fined.
38,553 people in the Territory “appear not to have voted” in the elections, that saw the lowest voter turnout on record at only 55.8 per cent.
The fine for not voting is $25, but failure to pay that within 28 days can lead to a referral to court, where the maximum penalty is $189, the NT Electoral Commission said in a statement.
Three options to respond
“Local Government councils are the level of government closest to the community making important decisions that impact day to day activities, from local roads to footpaths, pools, parks and community projects,” the NTEC said.
After receiving the “apparent failure to vote notice” residents need to respond in writing with three options:
- If you did vote, you need to provide your name, address and where you voted
- If you did not vote and believe you have a valid reason you need to explain it and send back to the NTEC
- If you did not vote and do not have a sufficient reason for not voting, you must pay the $25 fine.
“If you do not respond to the apparent failure to vote notice, or your excuse is deemed insufficient, you will receive an infringement notice. This is a fine for not voting,” the NTEC said.
More information is available at the NT Electoral Commission website or by contacting the NTEC on 1800 698 683.
https://ntec.nt.gov.au/voting/didnt-vote
