A former Noreen Hay staffer has avoided time behind bars by a "whisker", after being found guilty of engaging in electoral fraud just months before the 2015 state election.

Susan Greenhalgh was sentenced to 450 hours of community service after the magistrate found she had lodged and signed false applications, changing the addresses of four people to move them inside the Wollongong electorate.

The 37-year-old mother was also fined $2000 for enrolling a British citizen to vote, despite being aware it was illegal.

Susan Greenhalgh has been sentenced over five counts of electoral fraud. (9news)

During an earlier hearing, four out of five people told the court they had no idea the forms had been submitted on their behalf, denying they lived at the addresses that had been listed.

However, the British citizen said she gave Greenhalgh permission to enroll her, not knowing it was illegal.

Greenhalgh was a staffer for former Wollongong MP Noreen Hay. (9news)

Pleading not guilty to charges - Greenhalgh took the stand to give evidence and revealed she signed the documents on behalf of the members.

Greenhalgh wiped tears from her face as her defence lawyer, Kate Doosey told the court she had been "buffeted by life".

Ms Doosey said Greenhalgh had played a rescuer's role for her mother, who suffered PTSD after being exposed to the bombings at the Atlanta Olympics.

She also said that at the time of the court proceedings Greenhalgh's younger brother had been the victim of abuse.

However, as Magistrate Susan McGowan handed down her sentence she said, "You can't go around tampering with the electoral role, hoping for the best".

"Greenhalgh directly affected the integrity and reliability of our electoral role and struck at the heart of our democratic system," she said.

It was a sentiment Labor Party deputy leader Tanya Plibersek echoed when questioned about the matter.

"I don't care if they are people on our side or the government's side or minor parties, if people do the wrong thing they should be punished," she said.

"Good luck to them, they need to face the full force of the law."

Greenhalgh continues to maintain her innocence.