MORE than 11,000 Knox residents are being asked to "please explain" why they failed tro vote at last year's council elections.
The Victorian Electoral Commission has sent letters to more than 500,000 voters statewide because there is no record that they voted.
They have been asked to provide a satisfactory excuse or they will receive a $70 penalty notice.
Letters were sent to 11,471 people in Knox who failed to vote early or attend a voting centre on October 27 last year.
Knox was one of only eight municipalities in the state which had attendance elections. All other councils have postal elections.
The penalty money will be distributed to each council, with Knox Council potentially pocketing more than $800,000 from non-voters.
Some residents are exempt from voting, including residents over the age of 70 or non-resident property owners.
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