ELD: Revised Registers of Electors open for public inspection from 19 June to 2 July

SINGAPORE: The Elections Department (ELD) has announced that the revised Registers of Electors will be available for public inspection from 19 June 2024 to 2 July 2024.

These registers include the names of all qualified electors as of 1 June 2024, said ELD in a statement issued on Tuesday (18 June).

The exercise to bring the registers up to date comes amid speculation that the next general election, which must be held by November 2025, may be called as early as September.

ELD said Singapore citizens can check their particulars in the Registers of Electors electronically via “Voter Services” on the ELD website, or under “My Profile” on the Singpass mobile application.

Should they find that their names are left out or their particulars are reflected differently from what is shown on their national registration identity card (NRIC), they can file a claim during the inspection period.

They may also submit an objection to remove a name from the register for the electoral division that the person is in during this time.

A person is eligible to vote if he is a Singapore citizen aged 21 and above with a Singapore residential address or local contact address, and is not disqualified as an elector under any written law.

The ELD, a department under the Prime Minister’s Office, said the claims and objections may be submitted through its website, or in person – at its office, the 110 community clubs or centres and ServiceSG centres across the country, and the 10 Singapore overseas missions serving as overseas registration centres.

These physical locations are where a claimant list containing a list of claims will subsequently be made available for inspection, between the 13th and 20th of July, the ELD pointed out.

Those who are unable to check their particulars in the registers electronically may also do so at these same locations.

For the ELD office option, the department however said to first make an e-appointment via its website, or call 1800-225-5353. The hotline is also available to anyone who needs help.

Meanwhile, the ELD said those whose names were removed from the registers for failing to vote at a past election may apply to have their names restored.

This can be done under the same “Voter Services” tab on the ELD website.

ELD encouraged them to “apply early”, stating that it will, under the law, not be able to restore their names in time once the Writ for an election is issued.

Earlier, when asked by Singapore media on 12 June about whether his upcoming international meetings would preclude an electoral contest this year, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasized that there is “still a lot of work to be done” on both domestic and foreign fronts.

He pointed out that the schedule of high-level international and regional gatherings in the months ahead is transparent and not confidential.

“You know when there is an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting, there’s an APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting, when there’s a G20 meeting. You know when they are held in the schedule and in the calendar this year,” he said.

“So you can already mark out which are the dates when I will be busy, when I will be away and which are the dates when I will be in Singapore. So it’s really for people to speculate.”

Mr Wong emphasized that the timing of the election will be clear in due course.

“Eventually, at the time when we decide it’s appropriate and the election has to be called, people will know. Same for the EBRC (Electoral Boundaries Review Committee). ”

“Eventually when it is convened and it has done its work, people will know and then I suppose everyone will get ready for the elections,” he said.

Convening the EBRC is a crucial step before calling a General Election.

Political analysts have suggested September this year as a potential date for the election, speculation has swirled regarding the timing of the next General Election.

Despite PM Wong’s ambiguous response to a direct question about the election date, Singapore’s alternative parties have intensified their ground outreach efforts, anticipating an early election call by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) government.