Parliamentary Elections (Overseas Voting) Regulations 2024

notify the Returning Officer without delay; and

appoint a presiding officer for that overseas polling station to act for him or her until an assignment is made under paragraph (3) or until he or she is again able to act.

one or more presiding officers; and

one or more persons to be responsible for maintaining order within the overseas polling station.

notify the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station without delay; and

appoint another person to act for him or her until an assignment is made under paragraph (4) or until he or she is again able to act.

the senior presiding officer must also appoint a senior presiding officer from among the presiding officers assigned to that overseas polling station until an appointment is made under sub‑paragraph (b) or until he or she is again able to act; and

the Assistant Returning Officer must also appoint a senior presiding officer from among the presiding officers assigned to that overseas polling station.

all other presiding officers appointed or assigned to that overseas polling station; and

all arrangements for the conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station.

keep order in the overseas polling station;

regulate the number of voters to be admitted to that overseas polling station at a time;

ensure that a person is excluded from that overseas polling station if the person is not authorised by the Act or these Regulations to be present during a poll at that overseas polling station;

supervise the conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station; and

keep the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station informed of any matter that adversely affects, or is likely to adversely affect, the orderly conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station.

sufficient quantities of election materials; and

the necessary instructions,for the overseas election officers for the overseas polling station to perform their duties.

the list of overseas electors for that overseas polling station;

enough ballot papers for the overseas electors appearing on that list of overseas electors;

the necessary materials for the overseas electors to mark their votes on the ballot papers;

one or more ballot boxes;

the form of the oaths or declarations to be administered to the overseas electors;

the necessary envelopes, forms and any other supplies that may be authorised or provided by the Returning Officer in connection with the conduct of a poll at the overseas polling station.

is responsible for all election materials in his or her possession; and

must take every precaution to safekeep those materials and to prevent any person from having unlawful access to those materials.

the name of the candidate in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil;

the symbol allotted to the candidate, or the group of candidates comprising the candidate, under section 34 or 34A of the Act, as the case may be;

the name of the political party (if any) for which the candidate is standing at the election, in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil;

if the photograph of the candidate is included on the ballot papers for the election under section 40A(1) of the Act — that photograph;

if the photograph of the candidate is not included on the ballot papers for the election (by reason of non‑compliance with section 40A(1) of the Act) — a note that there is no photograph for the candidate.

if the election is in a group representation constituency — in the same order as they are arranged on the ballot papers for the election under section 40(3)(a) and (aa) of the Act; or

in any other case — in the same order as they are arranged on the ballot papers for the election under section 40(2)(a) of the Act.

be signed by the Returning Officer; and

state —

the name of the elector and his or her number and description, as stated in the relevant certified register of electors; and

the fact that the elector is serving as an overseas election officer at that overseas polling station.

the overseas election officers for that overseas polling station;

the candidates;

the polling agents of the candidates;

an overseas elector allotted to vote at that overseas polling station; and

any other person whom the Returning Officer authorises to be present.

in the case of a general election —

one polling agent for each political party that has one or more candidates in a contested election at the general election;

one polling agent for each group of independent candidates in a contested election at the general election; and

one polling agent for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in a contested election at the general election; or

in the case of a by‑election —

one polling agent for each political party that has a candidate in the by‑election;

one polling agent for each group of independent candidates in the by‑election; and

one polling agent for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in the by‑election.

the polling agent’s full name (as stated in his or her identity card) and identity card number;

a statement that the polling agent is appointed for the overseas polling station.

in the case of a candidate for a political party — the responsible officer of the political party;

in the case of a group of independent candidates —

a candidate in the group;

the election agent of a candidate in the group; or

the principal election agent of the group; or

in the case of an independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) —

the independent candidate; or

the election agent of the independent candidate.

give his or her name to the presiding officer; and

on request, give his or her name to a polling agent of the candidate.

comply with paragraph (8); or

answer any question, asked by an overseas election officer for that overseas polling station, about the person’s entitlement to vote at that overseas polling station.

if the political party is a partnership or limited partnership (but not a limited liability partnership) — a partner of the partnership;

if the political party is a body corporate — the chairperson, managing director, company secretary or any other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person carrying out the duties of any of these officers; or

if the political party is an unincorporated body of persons other than a partnership —

the president, secretary, treasurer or any other similar officer of the executive committee of the unincorporated body of persons, or any person carrying out the duties of any of these officers; or

if the unincorporated body of persons has no executive committee, the individual notified by the unincorporated body of persons to the Returning Officer as a responsible officer.

call out the voter’s name, number, electoral division and polling district code, as stated in the list;

mark the number of the elector as stated in the list on the counterfoil of the ballot paper;

mark the list to indicate that the elector has received a ballot paper but without indicating the particular ballot paper that was received;

unless the complete official mark has already been pre‑printed or affixed to the ballot paper, either —

initial the ballot paper; or

affix, stamp or mark (by writing or otherwise) the ballot paper in the approved manner with the official mark (or the remaining part thereof) for the authentication of the ballot paper.

the directions for the guidance of voters —

are set out in the First Schedule; and

must be exhibited both immediately before and during the hours of the poll at an overseas polling station; and

the form set out in the Second Schedule to the Act does not apply in relation to an overseas polling station.

make up into separate packets —

the unused and spoilt ballot papers placed together;

the list of overseas electors;

the counterfoils of the ballot papers; and

the tendered votes list; and

seal each packet with the presiding officer’s own seal and the seals of the candidates or their polling agents if they desire to affix their seals.

remain unopened;

be secured by the Assistant Returning Officer; and

be sealed with —

the seal supplied by the Returning Officer; and

the seals of any of the candidates or their polling agents who are present and who wish to affix their seals,in a manner that the box cannot be opened and nothing can be inserted into the box without breaking the seals.

is responsible for all the sealed packets mentioned in paragraph (2) and every sealed ballot box in his or her possession; and

must take every precaution for the safekeeping of those packets and ballot boxes and to prevent any person from having unlawful access to them.

a postal ballot paper must —

if it relates to an election in a group representation constituency — be in Form PV 1 in the Second Schedule; or

if it relates to an election in any other electoral division — be in Form PV 2 in the Second Schedule;

a return envelope must be in Form PV 3 in the Second Schedule; and

the QR code on a return envelope must comply with regulation 24(4).

must consist of numbers or letters or both; and

must not include any personal information about the postal elector (such as his or her NRIC number) that could undermine voter secrecy.

downloading the postal ballot paper and return envelope issued to him or her in electronic form using the electronic system;

printing the postal ballot paper on one side of a piece of paper; and

printing the return envelope on one side of another piece of paper.

sending an email to the email address of the Elections Department at contact@eld.gov.sg; or

completing an application form made available on the prescribed website, and submitting the duly completed application form through the prescribed website.

issue printed postal voting papers to the applicant; and

send the printed postal voting papers to the applicant by registered post or courier to his or her overseas correspondence address as at the date of the application.

mark his or her vote on the postal ballot paper in the area demarcated on the postal ballot paper for that purpose;

conceal his or her vote by folding the postal ballot paper in accordance with the instructions printed on the postal ballot paper;

fold the return envelope in accordance with the instructions printed on it;

insert the postal ballot paper into the return envelope and seal the return envelope;

make and sign the declaration on the return envelope in the area demarcated on the return envelope for that purpose, with a signature that is substantially identical to the wet‑ink signature that he or she submitted to the Registration Officer under the Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Overseas Electors) Regulations 2023;

post or deliver, or cause to be posted or delivered, before the end of the postal voting period, the sealed return envelope to the Returning Officer at the address indicated on the return envelope in accordance with section 56B(3)(d) of the Act.

may appoint one or more places in Singapore to receive deliveries of return envelopes; and

must not receive any return envelope delivered after the end of the postal voting period.

must be kept in safe custody and remain sealed; and

must not be opened or tampered with before the pre‑count examination of postal voting papers under section 56C of the Act.

open the return envelope for the purposes of examining the existence of the harmful or hazardous substances;

record the result of the examination; and

inform the following persons as soon as possible of the result:

in the case of a general election and —

if the Returning Officer is able to determine the electoral division to which the return envelope relates — the candidates in a contested election for the electoral division or their election agents;

if sub‑paragraph (A) does not apply — all candidates in a contested election at the general election or their election agents;

in the case of a by‑election — all candidates in the by‑election or their election agents.

in the case of a general election —

5 counting agents for each political party that has one or more candidates in a contested election at the general election;

5 counting agents for each group of independent candidates in a contested election at the general election; and

5 counting agents for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in a contested election at the general election; or

in the case of a by‑election —

5 counting agents for each political party that has a candidate in the by‑election;

5 counting agents for each group of independent candidates in the by‑election; and

5 counting agents for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in the by‑election.

in the case of a general election —

4 representatives for each political party that has one or more candidates in a contested election at the general election;

4 representatives for each group of independent candidates in a contested election at the general election; and

4 representatives for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in a contested election at the general election; or

in the case of a by‑election —

4 representatives for each political party that has a candidate in the by‑election;

4 representatives for each group of independent candidates in the by‑election; and

4 representatives for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in the by‑election.

in the case of a general election —

one representative for each political party that has one or more candidates in a contested election at the general election;

one representative for each group of independent candidates in a contested election at the general election; and

one representative for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in a contested election at the general election; or

in the case of a by‑election —

one representative for each political party that has a candidate in the by‑election;

one representative for each group of independent candidates in the by‑election; and

one representative for each independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) in the by‑election.

in relation to a political party — a candidate of the political party or a counting agent for the political party;

in relation to a group of independent candidates — an independent candidate in the group or a counting agent for the group; or

in relation to an independent candidate (not being part of a group of candidates) — the independent candidate or a counting agent for the independent candidate.

it is a return envelope issued under regulation 26 or 27; and

the signature on the envelope in the area demarcated for the purpose mentioned in regulation 28(1)(e) substantially matches the signature of a postal elector.

the return envelope is issued under regulation 26 or 27; or

the signature on the return envelope is substantially identical to the wet‑ink signature of a postal elector submitted to the Registration Officer under the Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Overseas Electors) Regulations 2023,the Returning Officer —

must disallow the return envelope (and any postal ballot paper inside) from being counted; but(d)must not open the return envelope.

arrange all the ballot boxes received according to their overseas polling stations;

subject to paragraph (3), open every ballot box from each overseas polling station that is received;

take all the ballot papers out from the opened ballot boxes.

the representatives of a political party that has a candidate or group of candidates (as the case may be) for the specified electoral division;

the representatives of an independent candidate or a group of independent candidates (as the case may be) for the specified electoral division.

the total number of votes given by all electors to the candidate or group of candidates with the most votes;

the total number of votes given by all electors to any other candidate or group of candidates.