A guide to the polls on 7 May
For many of you, Saturday will be your first time to vote in a national election. Your vote is, without a doubt, of utmost importance and we at Yahoo! Singapore want to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Here is a short guide to the polls that we hope will come in handy!
Poll Card
By now, you should have gotten your poll card via mail from the Elections Department. The card will tell you where your designated Polling Station is.
If you have not received your poll card, please call the election hotline (1800-818-0088), email the Elections Department or go to a Community Centre/Club to get another card.
On Polling Day
1) Bring your identification documents and Poll Card to the designated polling station. You are not allowed to vote elsewhere.
Only your NRIC, Singapore passport and identity cards issued by the Ministry of Defence, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force will be accepted. Photocopies will not be allowed.
The polling stations will be open from 8am to 8pm. The waiting time tends to be the longest in the morning, but do not go too late too as ballot papers will not be issued to voters who are still in the queues when polling closes.
2) Once there, present your identification and poll card to an election official, who will direct you to the right queue.
3) Polling officials will issue you an official ballot paper. You may be asked to make a declaration of proof of identity and sign the declaration first.
4) Proceed to the polling booth, where you should mark your choice clearly with an 'X' in the box on the right side of the ballot paper, opposite the name and symbol of the candidate.
DO NOT put a tick or any other symbol, otherwise your vote will not be counted.
DO NOT sign or make any marks on the ballot paper that could identify you.
DO NOT show your ballot paper to anyone else.
5) After putting a cross in the box to indicate your choice, fold the ballot paper and drop it into the ballot box.
6) Leave the polling station.
Please remember
1) Voting is compulsory.
If you do not vote, your name will be removed from the certified register of electors of the constituency you belong to. You will not be able to vote in any subsequent election until you apply to the Registration Officer with an explanation as to why you did not vote.
If the reason is not valid, you will have to pay $50 to restore your name to the register of electors.
2) Do not bring your pets and/or children to the polling station as they will not be granted access to the polling area. Your bag may also be subject to a security check.
3) Do not bring any item or wear any attire that shows a political party's or candidate's symbol. The law prohibits canvassing and all forms of election activity, except for voting, on Polling Day.
4) You are not allowed to use your mobile phone or cameras in the polling station.
Remember: Your vote is secret.
For more information, visit the Elections website here or call the Election Hotline at 1800-818-0088 (local) or (+65) 6818 0088 (overseas).
Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
This article is published by Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd., 60 Anson Road #13-01 Mapletree Anson, Singapore, 079914.
