Destruction of Marked Ballot Papers
After the election results have been announced, the ballot papers are placed in depository boxes, sealed and then transported under police escort to the Supreme Court where they would remain sealed for the next six months. During this time, the boxes may only be re-opened by a court order, and this will only be issued if the Court is satisfied that a vote has been fraudulently cast and the result of the election might, as a consequence, be affected.
At the end of six months, the Returning Officer will retrieve the sealed depository boxes from the Supreme Court and transport them to the incineration plant to be destroyed. This process is witnessed by candidates and their election agents.
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Sealed depository boxes being loaded onto a lorry after being taken out of the Supreme Court Vault at St. Andrew's Road for transportation to the incineration plant for destruction, 2011.
With the use of cardboard depository boxes, voting secrecy is enhanced since there is no need to remove the ballot papers from the boxes before burning them. Now, the ballot papers are burned along with the sealed depository boxes.
Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Preparing to destroy the ballot papers in the incinerator at Empress Place, 1950.
Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Ballot papers and related documents used during the 1993 Presidential Election arriving at Tuas Refuse Incineration Plant.
