an unofficial guide to voting in singapore

An Unofficial Guide to Voting in Singapore

Prepared by YuhuiTwitter: @yuhui

YOUR POLLING STATION

Polling Station layout

Note: Actual layout may vary. Not drawn to scale.

Election Officials

Election Officials

• Ensure that election rules and procedures are followed according to the law

• Confirm electors' identities based on electoral rolls

• Provide assistance to electors as required

• Cannot socialize with electors and/or candidates' polling agents

Candidates' Polling Agents

Candidates' Polling Agents

• Represent their respective candidates

• Ensure that election rules / procedures are followed according to the law

• Confirm electors' identities based on electoral rolls

• Record polling irregularities to notify election officials and/or respective candidates

• Cannot talk to electors who have their ballot papers

• Cannot socialize with election officials

Voting Booth

Voting Booth

• Private area for electors to mark their ballot papers in secret

• Provides proper writing materials for marking ballot papers

Ballot Boxes

Ballot Boxes

• Collection boxes for all ballot papers

•Marked to indicate the polling constituency, district and station

• Only one slot on top to drop in ballot papers

VOTING PROCEDURE

Polling hours

• Polling stations are open to electors at 8am to 8pm on Election Day– If you arrive before 8am – join the queue– If you arrive after 8pm – you have forfeited your

opportunity to vote• Election officials determine the clocks used to

indicate the polling station's opening hours

Before entering the Polling Station

• Queue up in an orderly manner• An election official may check your poll card to

ensure that you are at the correct location• Candidates may talk to you if you are outside

the polling station's boundary• Candidates polling agents may talk to you

within the polling station's boundary, but not to influence your vote

1. Collect your ballot paper

1. Collect your ballot paper

• Provide the election official with:

• Your poll card

• Your identity card

Confirming your identity

1. Election official calls out your name and elector number (indicated on your poll card)

2. Election official and candidates' polling agents strike out your name from their respective electoral rolls

3. Election official writes your elector number next to your ballot paper's counterfoil

How is the Electoral Roll used?

• It lists the electors who are eligible to vote at that polling station

• Election officials and candidates' polling agents should have the same set of electoral rolls

• Election officials and candidates' polling agents cannot exchange or share each other's electoral rolls

Confirming your identity

You cannot proceed until the election official and candidates' polling agents have successfully

struck out your name from their respective electoral rolls

What if your identity has already been confirmed?

1. You may need to take an oath of identity in front of the election official

2. You are given a tendered ballot paper – has a different colour from regular ballot papers

3. The election official endorses your ballot paper with your name and elector number

4. The election official writes your elector number in a "Tendered votes" list

How are Tendered votes counted?

• Returning Officer sorts tendered votes into a separate pile per candidate

• Returning Officer is not required to count tendered votes

• Returning Officer seals the tendered votes• Candidates have to apply to the Courts to have

tendered votes added to the poll when a poll is under dispute

Explaining the voting procedure

• At his discretion, an election official may explain the voting procedure to you

• If he does so, the candidates' polling agents must be present to witness his explanation to you

1. Collect your ballot paper

• Election official provides:

• Your identity card

• A ballot paper

Your ballot paper

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Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama

Note: Actual design may vary. Not drawn to scale.

Elections Department seal

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Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama

Candidates' names

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Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama

Candidates' symbols

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Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama

Area to mark your vote

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Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama

Ballot paper's serial number

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Printed behind

Why is there a serial number?

• Match number of votes cast at polling station to number of electors in electoral roll

• Prevent vote stuffing – somehow putting fake ballot papers into the ballot box

• Dispute impersonation – matching electors' numbers to ballot papers' serial numbers

• Dispute voting intention – elector claiming not to have voted as indicated on ballot paper

One person, one vote

Check that you have one ballot paper only!

If you have more than one ballot paper, you may be charged with cheating at the elections.

2. Mark your vote

2. Mark your vote

•Mark your vote in silence

• Do not act suspiciously, e.g. looking at other people

• Take a reasonable amount of time to mark your vote

•When done, fold your ballot paper in half

Marking your ballot paper

• Mark your vote clearly next to the names of your chosen candidates

• DO NOT mark next to more than one set of candidates' names

• DO NOT write your name anywhere on the ballot paper

• DO NOT write your elector number anywhere on the ballot paper

What is an acceptable mark?

Parliamentary Elections Act (Chapter 218), section 50:• Any mark on the ballot paper that clearly

indicates the elector's intention for the stated candidates

• Candidates' counting agents may dispute any marks

• The Returning Officer has the final say

Acceptable marks

Advised by the Elections Department:

Some possibly acceptable marks:

Fuck you!

If you accidentally spoil your vote

1. Notify an election official immediately!2. If the election official accepts your reason, he

will:I. Cancel your current ballot paperII. Provide you with a new ballot paper

3. You may then go back to the voting booth to mark your vote

If you are blind or incapacitated

The election official will assist you in voting:1. He reads out the names of the candidates2. He listens to and acknowledges your choice3. He marks your ballot paper according to your

choice4. He folds your ballot paper5. He drops your folded ballot paper into the

ballot box

3. Cast your vote

3. Cast your vote

• Check that you have folded your ballot paper in half

• Drop your ballot paper into any ballot box

• Once your have dropped your ballot paper in a ballot box, you cannot retrieve it!

Choosing a ballot box

• You can cast your vote in any ballot box• No one can force you to cast your vote in a

particular ballot box

4. Leave the polling centre

4. Leave the polling centre

• Check that you have your identity card

• You are strongly advised not to linger at the polling centre

AND THAT IS HOW YOU VOTE IN SINGAPORE

Disclaimer

• This is a personal project• It is NOT endorsed by the Elections

Department• I am not responsible for any unexpected

action to any voter due to inaccurate information provided within

Contact

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