🗳️ Ready for GE2025 – A first-time voter’s guide

[SINGAPORE] Some 2.6 million Singaporeans will be voting in the upcoming General Election. Polls open from 8 am to 8 pm.

To be eligible to vote, you must be:

• A Singaporean citizen,
• At least 21 years old (as of Feb 1, 2025), and
• Not disqualified from voting under any prevailing law

To check if your name is on the voter rolls, visit this website or look under “My Profile” on the Singpass app.

If you failed to vote in past elections without a valid reason, your name may have been removed from the voter rolls.

It’s too late to have your name restored for this election, but you may want to do so to vote in future elections (click here to get on it). A fee of S$50 will be imposed if you do not have a valid reason for not previously voting.

📋 Before heading down to your polling station 

Make sure to check your details on your poll card and find out which polling station you’ll be going to. If you are a registered voter and have not received yours, you may use the ePoll card available on the Singpass app in place of the physical poll card.

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If there is a spelling error in your name on the poll card, you can still proceed to your polling station with your original or digital NRIC, or your passport to cast your vote. Do also bring your poll card to facilitate checks by the Election Official.

Before you leave home, you may also want to check the queue situation at your polling station by keying in your postal code into VoteQ.

👕 What should I wear?

There is no dress code, but do not wear any attire or badge that shows a political party’s or candidate’s symbol. The law prohibits canvassing and all forms of election activity, except voting, on Polling Day.

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🎒 What do I need to bring?

• NRIC (physical or digital) or passport. Identity cards issued by the Ministry of Defence, Singapore Police Force or Singapore Civil Defence Force for uniformed personnel are also acceptable. However, photocopies of these documents are not allowed.
• Poll card or ePoll card.

🚫 What not to bring

Things not to bring into the polling station include cameras, video cameras, alcohol, sharp objects, large bags and animals or pets (except guide dogs).

Do not bring any documents or materials which show a political party’s or candidate’s symbol.

Children will not be allowed into the polling area.

🗳️ How to vote

As you enter the polling station, election officials will verify your identity.

Once it’s your turn to vote, collect your ballot paper from an election official.

At the polling booth, there’ll be a stamp you can use to mark an “X” on the ballot paper in the empty box beside your choice. You may also use your own pen.

Fold the ballot paper before dropping it into the ballot box.

⌚ What if I am late?

You won’t be able to vote if you are late, even if you are in the queue before the station closes.

Exceptions may be made is if polling hours are extended, such as in the case of GE2020 when some polling stations struggled with long lines of voters late into the evening.

If you are unable to vote in time, you cannot appoint a proxy to cast your vote for you.

✈️ What if I’m overseas? 

If you are living overseas and have successfully registered as an overseas voter, you would have been notified of the polling process via e-mail. You will either be voting by post or in person at an overseas polling station.

You won’t be able to vote overseas if, say, you happen to be overseas on a short vacation on Polling Day.

🤫 How do I know that my vote is secret?

There is a strict, transparent process to protect ballot papers. After voting closes, ballot boxes are sealed in front of candidates and their agents, after which they are delivered under police escort to a counting centre. Once there, the boxes are opened only under supervision.

After counting, the ballot papers are sealed again and kept securely at the Supreme Court for six months before being destroyed. Throughout this process, there is no break in the custody of the ballots.

Although each ballot paper has a serial number, it is only used to account for all ballot papers and prevent fraud. The link between a voter and their ballot can only be accessed with a court order if there is strong evidence of fraud.

👆 Who should I vote for? And will I be penalised for a spoilt vote?

That is for you to decide. And while you may not be penalised (see above), you will have missed the chance to exercise your right to vote.

TL;DR

• Bring along your NRIC and poll card
• Don’t wear any attire or badge which shows a political party’s or candidate’s symbol
• Polls close promptly, so don’t be late