Of those, 226 people were convicted by a court and fined.

With Google searches for “fine for not voting” up 1,000 per cent today, here’s everything you need to know about the voting rules.

Do I have to vote?

The law prescribes that eligible voters must attend a polling place, have their name marked off the certified list, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box.

You will face a penalty unless you have “a valid and sufficient reason” for failing to do so.

What is the penalty for not voting?

The amount is $20.

But if you fail to pay the fee and the matter proceeds to court, you could face a much larger penalty.

Are there valid reasons for not voting?

It’s instead at the discretion of the AEC’s Divisional Returning Officer (DRO) for each electorate to determine.

What if I tried to vote, but couldn’t?

While you still might receive a notice from the AEC, it permits you to provide details of the reasons why you were unable to vote.