ELD’S FINDINGS ON NAMES NOT IN THE CERTIFIED REGISTERS OF ELECTORS FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2023
Since 11 August 2023 when the Writ for Presidential Election 2023 was issued, about 200 Singaporeans have informed the Elections Department (ELD) that their names were not reflected in the Registers of Electors certified on 20 July 2023, even though they said that they had voted at General Election 2020 (GE2020). As a result, they did not receive their Poll Cards and will not be able to vote at Presidential Election 2023 (PE2023).
2 Prior to every election, voters would have been informed to check on their voter status and apply to restore their names to the registers if the names have been removed. The first opportunity to do so was in 5 October 2020, when ELD published the list of nonvoters for GE2020. More recently, in the leadup to PE2023, ELD revised the Registers of Electors to bring the Registers up to date as at the prescribed date of 1 June 2023. Singaporeans were then invited to inspect the revised registers from 15 June 2023 and again when the Registers of Electors were certified on 20 July 2023. Those whose names were not in the registers could apply to restore their names to the registers.
3 Between 5 October 2020 until the Writ of Election was issued on 11 August 2023, a total of 32,807 voters successfully applied to restore their names to the registers, and they will be able to vote at PE2023. The number of voters restored to the registers this time round is similar to previous elections.
4 As the Writ of Election had been issued on 11 August 2023, under the law, no restoration can be made to re-instate non-voters into the Registers until the end of Polling Day on 1 September 2023. This is because the Registers are conclusive evidence used to determine whether a person is or is not entitled to vote at the election, and it is thus necessary to maintain the certainty of the Registers once the Writ was issued.
5 Based on ELD’s preliminary checks, the NRICs of some voters may not have been properly scanned by the electronic registration devices used at polling stations in GE2020, resulting in the voter attendance data not being captured in the system. For PE2023, more sensitive electronic registration devices will be deployed at the polling stations.
6 ELD will be reaching out to Singaporeans who have informed us of this matter and will, upon verification, restore their names to the registers after the election, so that they can vote at future elections. No further action from them is needed.
ISSUED BY
ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT
PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
24 August 2023