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Elections in Singapore

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Elections in Singapore comprise two types: parliamentary and presidential elections. Under the Constitution of Singapore, a general election must be held within three months of the dissolution of Parliament, which has a maximum term of five years from the date of its first sitting. Presidential elections are held every six years. All elections in Singapore operate under the first-past-the-post voting (FPTP) system.

Singapore employs an official sample count system to provide early indications of election outcomes. At each polling station, a counting assistant randomly selects 100 ballots, which are then tallied to produce a mini-sample. These samples are aggregated and weighted according to the number of votes cast at each station to generate constituency-level projections. Based on simple random sampling, the estimates typically achieve a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of 4–5%. This system is designed to offer a statistically reliable and timely snapshot of the likely results shortly after the close of polls.[1] In contrast, countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia rely on the progressive counting and real-time reporting of actual vote returns from precincts or count centres. While this approach offers greater transparency at a granular level, it generally results in slower reporting compared to Singapore's sample-based method.[2]

Unlike many other countries where elections are administered by independent electoral commissions, elections in Singapore are conducted by the Elections Department Singapore (ELD), which is a department under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) of the Government of Singapore. On polling day during elections, voting takes place from 08:00 to 20:00 SST (UTC+08:00). Sample count results are typically released by 22:30, with final results announced by the Returning Officer by approximately 03:00 the following morning. Victory parades by elected candidates in their respective constituencies customarily commence at 08:30 later that day.[3][4]

The last presidential election was held in 2023, which was won by Tharman Shanmugaratnam with 70.41% of the vote. The last general election was held in 2025, which elected 97 seats to the unicameral Parliament of Singapore. Since the 1959 Singaporean general election, the People's Action Party (PAP) has maintained a dominant position, consistently securing a supermajority of seats and forming the government in every successive general election.

Parliamentary elections

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Main article: Parliamentary elections in Singapore

From Singapore's independence in 1965, to 1981, the People's Action Party (PAP) won every single seat in every election held, forming a parliament with no elected opposition MP for almost two decades. In Singapore, opposition politicians and trade unionists were detained in prison without trial before the 1960s and early 1970s. Many such as Lim Chin Siong, Said Zahari and Lim Hock Siew were accused by the government of being involved in subversive communist struggles. Other oppositions had also rendered ineligible due to conviction, including those who went bankrupt.[5] Catherine Lim argues that a climate of fear hurts Singapore.[6][7]

In the eighties, opposition politicians began being elected in parliament with J. B. Jeyaretnam and Chiam See Tong, along with the creation of two schemes in the eighties: the Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme awarding to the candidates with the best result among non-elected oppositions in the eighties, and a group of nonpartisans collectively known as Nominated Member of Parliament. Further amendments resulted in a minimum quota of number of oppositions to determine the number of NCMPs, from three members to nine in 2010s, then to 12 in 2020s.

The 1988 elections introduced the Group Representation Constituency (GRC), a plurality General ticket voting system for a team of between three and six candidates, to improve the ethnicity representation in Parliament and town council management; certain analysis crititized the scheme as a form of gerrymandering to reduce opposition representation,[8] most notably where teams in a GRC had been elected uncontested on consecutive elections.[9] In each election leading up to nominations, the Elections Department, determines electoral boundaries without the need of parliamentary approval, was established as part of the executive branch under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), rather than as an independent body;[10][11] analysists also criticize the process of electoral engineering, whereas poll results would determine whether if the constituency with a poor result would be redistricted to neighbouring constituencies,[12] though that the ELD decline to reveal the reasons of redistriction except for population increase in planning areas and electorate balancing.[13] In one notable scenario, both Cheng San and Eunos GRC were examples of constituencies dissolved by the Elections Department after opposition parties gained ground in elections, with voters redistributed to other constituencies; similarly, Bukit Batok and Yuhua were also absorbed into neighbouring GRCs due to a close result, though they were returned to SMCs after years of absence.[11]

However, Freedom House has noted that elections in Singapore are technically free of electoral fraud.[14] Throughout the history of the Republic of Singapore, hundreds of politicians have been elected in Parliament, of whom majority of unique candidates represent the governing People's Action Party including late stalwarts like Lee Khoon Choy.[15] Since 1965, 19 opposition politicians have been elected into Parliament, including J. B. Jeyaretnam, Chiam See Tong, Low Thia Khiang, Ling How Doong, Cheo Chai Chen, Chen Show Mao, Yaw Shin Leong, Png Eng Huat, Lee Li Lian, and also ten incumbent candidates from the Workers' Party including Secretary-general and opposition leader Pritam Singh, as well as the Chairwoman and first female MP-elect Sylvia Lim and first Malay MP-elect Faisal Manap.

Latest general election

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Main article: 2025 Singaporean general election

A general election was last called on 15 April 2025, and was held in 3 May that year.[16] The PAP won 87 out of the 97 seats with 65.57% of the popular vote, while the WP won the remaining 10 seats.

PartyVotes%+/–Seats
FieldedElectedNCMP+/−
People's Action Party1,564,77065.57+4.3497870Increase4
Workers' Party357,76314.99+3.7726102Increase2
Progress Singapore Party116,6074.89−5.291300Decrease2
Red Dot United94,5663.96+2.7115000
Singapore Democratic Party88,8583.72−0.7311000
People's Alliance for Reform59,8792.51New1300New
Singapore Democratic Alliance29,1091.22−0.274000
Singapore People's Party28,0291.17−0.355000
Singapore United Party15,8110.66New500New
People's Power Party15,4940.65−0.3510000
Independents12,4450.52+0.492000
National Solidarity Party3,1210.13−3.6210000
Total2,386,452100.00–2119720
Valid votes2,386,45298.24
Invalid/blank votes42,8291.76
Total votes2,429,281100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,627,02692.47
Source: calculation based on https://www.eld.gov.sg/finalresults2025.html

Presidential elections

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Main article: Presidential elections in Singapore

Presidential elections have been held since 1993. Under the "Presidential Elections Act",[17] to run for president, one must obtain a "Certificate of Eligibility" from the Presidential Elections Committee. These conditions are:

  • Be a citizen of Singapore.[18]
  • Be at least 45 years of age.[19]
  • Be a registered voter.[20]
  • Be a resident in Singapore at the date of their nomination for election and a resident for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than ten years prior to that date.[21]
  • Not be subject to any of the following disqualifications:[22]
(a) being and having been found or declared to be of unsound mind;
(b) being an undischarged bankrupt;
(c) holding an office of profit;
(d) having been nominated for election to Parliament or the office of President or having acted as election agent to a person so nominated, failing to lodge any return of election expenses required by law within the time and in the manner so required;
(e) having been convicted of an offence by a court of law in Singapore or Malaysia and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than S$2,000 and having not received a free pardon, provided that where the conviction is by a court of law in Malaysia, the person shall not be disqualified unless the offence is also one which, had it been committed in Singapore, would have been punishable by a court of law in Singapore;[23]
(f) having voluntarily acquired the citizenship of, or exercised rights of citizenship in, a foreign country, or having made a declaration of allegiance to a foreign country;[24]
(g) being disqualified under any law relating to offences in connection with elections to Parliament or the office of President by reason of having been convicted of such an offence or having in proceedings relating to such an election been proved guilty of an act constituting such an offence.

Because of the stringent requirements needed to run for presidential elections, only three out of the seven elections had contests (1993, 2011 and 2023), while the rest were walkovers. An amendment to the Constitution in 2016 saw the 2017 election become reserved for a certain community (Malay community in the case), resulting in that year's election to cause a walkover as well. To date, 10 candidates had awarded the Certificate of Eligibility (with two being eligible twice), of which five candidates were president-elect (only one candidate, S. R. Nathan, had served for two terms and had no prior affiliation with the incumbent ruling People's Action Party)

Referendums

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A referendum may also be held for important national issues, although it has been held only once in Singapore's political history for the 1962 merger referendum. Calls for a national referendum has been made since then, including the issue over the building of casinos in Singapore.

Past elections

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Legislative Council elections

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Legislative Assembly elections

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As State of Malaysia

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Parliamentary elections

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Main article: Parliamentary elections in Singapore

Other elections

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Upcoming elections

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  • 2029 presidential election
  • 2030 general election

See also

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References

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Notes
  1. ^ Deborah Lau (31 August 2023). "PE 2023: Explainer — what are sample counts, how are they generated and when are they expected to be released?". TODAY. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  2. ^ Natasha Ganesan (31 August 2023). "CNA Explains: Sample counts, invalid votes and recounts – what you need to know about PE2023 Polling Day". www.channelnewsasia.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  3. ^ "GE2025: What time will the election results be out?". The Straits Times. 3 May 2025. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  4. ^ "GE2025 live: Election victory parades kick off across Singapore | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  5. ^ Nair, Gopalan. "Singapore Dissident". Singapore Dissident. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. ^ Loo, Daryl (14 December 2007). "Climate of fear hurts Singapore: author". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. ^ Freedom House. "Freedom of the World 2011 Singapore report". Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  8. ^ Channel NewsAsia, "More detailed explanation needed to fend off gerrymandering claims: Analysts Archived 28 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine", August 3, 2015
  9. ^ Koh, Gillian (27 August 2013). "GRC system and politics of inclusion" (PDF). The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  10. ^ Prime Minister's Office, Our Departments Archived 7 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ a b Tan, Netina (14 July 2013). "Manipulating electoral laws in Singapore, Electoral Studies". Electoral Studies (Special Symposium: The new research agenda on electoral integrity). doi:10.1016/j.electstud.2013.07.014. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  12. ^ Electoral Engineering: Voting Rules and Political Behavior, Pippa Norris
  13. ^ "Singapore Parliament Reports - Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill". 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Map of Freedom in the World: Singapore (2009)". Freedom House. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  15. ^ Ong, Andrea (3 July 2013). "Ex-MP and diplomat launches book on multi-ethnic Chinese descendants in SEA". The Straits Times. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  16. ^ Linette Lai (15 April 2025). "GE2025: Singaporeans will go to the polls on May 3, Nomination Day on April 23". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  17. ^ "PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ACT". Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  18. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(a).
  19. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(b).
  20. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(c) read with Art. 44(2)(c).
  21. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(c) read with Art. 44(2)(d).
  22. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(d) read with Art. 45.
  23. ^ The disqualification of a person under clauses (d) and (e) may be removed by the President and shall, if not so removed, cease at the end of five years beginning from the date on which the return mentioned in clause (d) was required to be lodged or, as the case may be, the date on which the person convicted as mentioned in clause (e) was released from custody or the date on which the fine mentioned in clause (1) (e) was imposed on such person: Constitution, Art. 45(2).
  24. ^ A person shall not be disqualified under this clause by reason only of anything done by him before he became a citizen of Singapore: Constitution, Art. 45(2). In clause (f), "foreign country" does not include any part of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland: Art. 45(3).
  25. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(e).
  26. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(2)(f).
  27. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(3)(a).
  28. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(3)(b) read with the Fifth Schedule.
  29. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(4), read with Art. 19(7).
  30. ^ Constitution, Art. 19(3)(c) and Art 19(4)(b).
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