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E-registration, self-inking pens for next General Election

(Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
(Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s next General Election will see, among others, electronic registration of voters at polling stations, self-inking pens and mechanical counting machines.

In a media release on Friday (29 November), the Elections Department (ELD) said that this was part of efforts to provide greater convenience and a better experience for candidates and voters.

From appointing election agents and paying election deposits to preparing nomination papers, candidates will be able to file most of their paperwork online. Those who prefer to submit forms in hard copy can continue to do so.

Those eligible to vote can now check their own particulars in the Registers of Electors via the SingPass Mobile app, or at the SingPass website. Information on voting eligibility, electoral divisions, polling districts and voter serial numbers will also be displayed.

Meanwhile, eRegistration at polling stations will enable election officials to scan a voter’s NRIC to register the voter, which will save time compared with the current process of checking the NRIC manually against the electoral roll.

ELD will also introduce a new self-inking pen to allow voters to indicate their choice of votes on the ballot paper, while mechanical counting machines will be used to tally votes at counting centres.

The agency will conduct roadshows ahead of the next election to familiarise voters with the new processes and equipment. Engagement sessions will also be held for political party representatives to try out the new digital services for candidates and provide feedback.

The next General Elections must be held by April 2021. The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee was convened in August, a key step towards the election.

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