an unofficial guide to voting in singapore
DESCRIPTION
What happens at a polling station? How do I cast my vote properly? These questions and more are answered in this personal and unofficial guide to the polling procedure during the General Elections in Singapore. Learn more about practising your democratic rights in Singapore.TRANSCRIPT
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An Unofficial Guide to Voting in Singapore
Prepared by YuhuiTwitter: @yuhui
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YOUR POLLING STATION
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Polling Station layout
Note: Actual layout may vary. Not drawn to scale.
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Election Officials
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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
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Candidates' Polling Agents
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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
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Voting Booth
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Voting Booth
• Private area for electors to mark their ballot papers in secret
• Provides proper writing materials for marking ballot papers
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Ballot Boxes
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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
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VOTING PROCEDURE
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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
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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
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1. Collect your ballot paper
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1. Collect your ballot paper
• Provide the election official with:
• Your poll card
• Your identity card
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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1. Collect your ballot paper
• Election official provides:
• Your identity card
• A ballot paper
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Your ballot paper
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
Note: Actual design may vary. Not drawn to scale.
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Elections Department seal
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
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Candidates' names
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
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Candidates' symbols
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
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Area to mark your vote
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
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Ballot paper's serial number
Batman bin SuparmanStamford RafflesTan Ah Kow
Vanda JoaquimLim PehSang Nila Utama
Printed behind
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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
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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.
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2. Mark your vote
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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
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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
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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
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Acceptable marks
Advised by the Elections Department:
Some possibly acceptable marks:
Fuck you!
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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
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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
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3. Cast your vote
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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!
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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
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4. Leave the polling centre
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4. Leave the polling centre
• Check that you have your identity card
• You are strongly advised not to linger at the polling centre
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AND THAT IS HOW YOU VOTE IN SINGAPORE
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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
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Contact
• Yuhui• Twitter: @yuhui• Facebook: www.facebook.com/yuhui