ELD: Singapore voters can restore status in Register of Electors from 10 Nov

SINGAPORE: According to the Elections Department (ELD), Singaporeans placed on the non-voter list can apply to restore their names to the Registers of Electors beginning on Friday (Nov 10).

ELD announced in a press release on Thursday that the names of eligible voters who did not cast their votes during the 2023 Presidential Election have been removed from the registers in compliance with the Presidential Elections Act.

To ensure eligibility for the next election, ELD encourages non-voters to apply for the reinstatement of their names to the Registers of Electors.

Starting from Friday, Singaporeans can verify their particulars and voter status through the Singpass app and the Voter Services section on the ELD website. They can also apply to restore their names to the registers.

Additionally, they can check their voter status and restore their names at community centers, clubs, ServiceSG centers, or at the ELD office by scheduling an e-appointment via the website or by calling 1800 225 5353.

For overseas Singaporeans, the option is available at Singapore overseas missions serving as overseas registration centers.

Moreover, individuals who did not participate in the 2023 Presidential Election or the General Election (GE) in 2020 will receive a letter from ELD and a message via the Singpass app inbox, urging them to reinstate their names to the registers.

ELD encourages non-voters to promptly restore their names if they wish to be eligible for voting at the upcoming election.

As per legal regulations, ELD cannot reinstate their names during the period starting from the issuance of the Writ for an election until after Nomination Day, if the election is uncontested. In the case of a poll, reinstatement can take place only after Polling Day.

1093 Singaporeans did not receive poll card during PE 2023, despite voted in GE2020

In September, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing disclosed that between the issuance of the writ for the 2023 Presidential Election and polling day, 1,093 Singaporeans reported not receiving their poll cards, despite voting in the 2020 General Election (GE 2020).

He informed Parliament that the ELD conducted an investigation and attributed the error to improper recording of National Registration Card (NRIC) details for these voters. This problem stemmed from the implementation of the Electronic Registration System during GE2020.

This issue arose due to the introduction of the Electronic Registration System during GE2020.

“This is because the proper registration procedure may not have been followed for the affected voters, especially in some of the more crowded stations.”

On 24 August, it was reported that about 200 Singaporeans were unable to vote in PE2023 due to an alleged glitch in the last election.

Despite having participated in the 2020 General Election, these voters were alarmed when they did not receive their poll cards, effectively barring them from voting.

Mr Chan stated that the “most probable cause” for the error was that the NRIC details of some affected voters had not been captured properly by an electronic registration system introduced in the 2020 General Election.

During the 2023 Presidential Election, 224,926 out of 2,709,407 registered voters did not cast their ballots. This means that 8.28% of eligible voters did not vote.

According to the Elections Department (ELD), voting is compulsory for all eligible Singaporeans. Those who fail to vote may have their names removed from the electoral register, but can reapply to have them restored for future elections.