A GLITCH has resulted in thousands of people across Queensland incorrectly receiving an apparent failure to vote notice for the March local government elections.
Redland Bay resident Jill Vardy said she was appalled to receive a notice in the mail on Thursday when she had voted in the election.
The notice requires her to pay a $58.50 fine, explain why she did not vote or provide details of how or where she voted.
She said she phoned the ECQ and was told the notice had been sent in error.
A spokesperson for the Commission told the Redland City Bulletin that thousands of people, and possibly 1000 in Redlands, had been sent the notice in error due to a computer glitch.
However he said until the ECQ did a thorough check it was impossible to provide specific numbers.
“Until they can check we’re only guessing on the numbers,” he said.
Postal votes were the ones that had been affected.
The ECQ said in a statement that it was aware that some electors who had been previously excused may have inadvertently been forwarded an apparent failure to vote notice.
“The Commission is taking immediate action to contact these electors and advise that no further action is required on their behalf,” the Commission said in the statement.
The spokesperson said that this action would hopefully stop voters who did vote from paying the fine unnecessarily.
