Voting begins in Singapore general election

SINGAPORE - Polling stations in Singapore opened at 8:00 am local time on Friday for the country's general election.

Some 2.65 million people are eligible to vote. Polling stations will be closed at 8:00 p.m. local time.

The Elections Department (ELD) has asked voters to vote within the recommended time bands. Younger voters were encouraged not to vote between 8:00 a.m. and 12 at noon local time unless they have been allotted specific time bands within this window, as the morning voting hours have mostly been allotted to senior voters aged 65 years and above.

ELD has announced the approach for voting by certain groups of voters in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Voters on Stay-Home Notice or medical certificates for acute respiratory infection, or are having a fever, are advised to vote between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. local time. The COVID-19 patients and voters who are on Quarantine Order for COVID-19 are not allowed to vote.

Besides, ELD has said that there are 6,570 overseas voters in the general election, and 10 overseas polling stations have been prepared for them in Beijing, Canberra, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington DC. Local media reported that some overseas voters had cast their votes before Friday.

ELD has also said temperature screening is conducted to detect those with fever or respiratory symptoms at the polling stations. It has asked the voters to take their temperature and check online the queue situation before going to vote, wear masks and comply with safe distancing measures at all times in the polling stations.

A total of 191 candidates from 11 political parties and an independent candidate are competing for 93 seats in the general election.