All Traditional Election Advertising (TEA) (i.e. banners, flags or posters), must be publicly displayed in the manner set out in sections 61G to 61J of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 (PEA), and must not contain illegal content such as seditious materials or materials that may cause alarm and distress.

If any TEA does not adhere to the conditions stated in the Returning Officer’s permit; or does not comply with the controls on the quantity, size, location, manner of and period of display, the Returning Officer may direct that the TEA be removed or ceased to be publicly displayed.

	PUBLISHED-BY REQUIREMENTS FOR TEA

The published-by requirements seek to:

1. enable voters to know who is communicating election advertising;
2. make those persons responsible for their communications and;
3. ensure that obligations imposed by the PEA in relation to those communications can be enforced.

The printer’s name requirement is a longstanding requirement under the PEA. It serves to identify the printer in a situation where the TEA contains problematic materials which had not been authorised by the person or political party who authorised the publication or public display of the TEA, to facilitate the identification of and enforcement actions against the offender as necessary.

To comply with the published-by requirements, all TEA that are publicly displayed during the election period must include the following information as required under section 61B of the PEA:

Note: In cases where the information for (2) or (3) is the same as the information for (1), then it is not necessary to state the information for (2) or (3) on the face of the election advertising

Other similar expressions which can be accepted include “displayed by” for (1), “displayed for” for (3) and “paid for by” for (4).

In cases where the information is the same for more than one category, the expressions may be combined, e.g.

1. “Displayed and paid by XX” if the information is the same for (1), (2), (3) and (4);
2. “Displayed for and paid by XX” if the information is the same for (3) and (4).

	RETURNING OFFICER’S PERMIT FOR TEA

At the end of nomination proceedings, the Returning Officer will issue to every candidate/group of candidates a permit authorising the public display of TEA by or on behalf of the candidate/group of candidates. Candidates must ensure that the display of their TEA complies with the conditions stated in the Returning Officer’s permit, which may include the following:

1. before each TEA is publicly displayed, a copy, image, detailed diagram or drawing of the TEA, together with its published-by requirements, must be lodged with the Returning Officer;
2. each TEA must be affixed with an official stamp issued by the Returning Officer for the entire period that it is publicly displayed within the electoral division that the candidate/group of candidates is contesting in (i.e. large stamps for large TEA and small stamps for small TEA);
3. each TEA must only contain permissible electoral matter for the entire period that it is publicly displayed; and
4. each TEA must be properly secured when it is displayed in a permissible location.

	LODGEMENT OF TEA PRIOR TO PUBLIC DISPLAY

Candidates or their election agents must lodge a copy, image, detailed diagram or drawing of each TEA (including details of its published-by requirements) with the Returning Officer before the TEA are displayed by the candidate, election agent or their authorised third parties. They are encouraged to do so via Candidate Services.

The lodgement of TEA over the Elections Department (ELD)’s public counter will only be available when the online service for TEA lodgement is open after 2 pm.

Political parties will also need to notify the Returning Officer of the designated leader of all the political party’s candidates (i.e. a candidate from amongst all the candidates contesting under the party) if they wish to display TEA containing the name or image (or both) of their designated leader. This is to ensure that it is clear to the voters who the candidates’ leader is.

The Parliamentary Elections (Election Advertising) Regulations 2024 stipulates that each party may only designate one candidate. If a party were to submit more than one candidate to the Returning Officer, the Returning Officer will not be able to accept the designation. If a party were to make multiple submissions, only the first submission received that is in order will be accepted. The designated leader must be a candidate in the general election.

	MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE NUMBER AND SIZE FOR TEA

The maximum permissible number and size for small and large TEA are as follows:

Small or large TEA that are displayed by authorised third parties will count towards the maximum permissible number of small or large TEA allowed to be publicly displayed by or on behalf of a candidate.

All TEA publicly displayed must bear the official stamp issued by the Returning Officer identifying them as either a small or large TEA. Multiple small TEA displayed so closely to one another as to form a large TEA will each be counted towards the maximum permissible number for small TEA and must each be affixed with a small stamp. The large TEA so formed will also be counted towards the maximum permissible number for large TEA and must also be affixed with a large stamp.

To avoid ambiguity or confusion to voters, the candidate’s name or image (or both) and the symbol allotted to the candidate/group of candidates should always be clearly displayed.

	WHERE AND HOW TEA MAY BE DISPLAYED

Permissible locations

TEA can be hung on lamp posts, subject to the following conditions:

1. the lamp post must not have any public sign, traffic camera or any other road or traffic infrastructure installed on it; and
2. the TEA belonging to the same candidate/group of candidates are only allowed on alternate lamp posts, i.e. these TEA cannot be hung consecutively on an entire stretch of lamp posts.

TEA may also be displayed on any premises, conveyance, thing or structure if consent has been sought from the owner of the premises, conveyance, thing or structure; and provided that the premises, conveyance, thing or structure does not fall under any of the following descriptions:

1. trains;
2. public service vehicles (e.g. buses, taxis, private-hire vehicles) other than a vehicle hired for the sole purpose of conveying a candidate/group of candidates or any person authorised by the candidate/group of candidates during the campaign period;
3. any vehicle hired by or on behalf of a candidate, group of candidates or political party that is located within 100 metres of:
1. an election rally and is staying or moving within that location for reasons not related to the conveyance of persons attending the election rally; or
2. an election rally organised by or on behalf of another candidate, group of candidates or political party; and


4. on trees and plants.

For the avoidance of doubt, candidates are not allowed to display any TEA on any premises, conveyance, thing or structure:

1. without the consent of the owner of the premises, conveyance, thing or structure;
2. without a licence, permit or other like approval required by or under any written law;
3. in a manner or in circumstances such as to cause a serious and imminent risk of damaging other property or injuring an individual or an animal if the TEA does fall;
4. save for limited exceptions (e.g. premises used by a candidate as an office), in any area within 50 metres of any polling station established for the conduct of a poll in an election (i.e. a restricted signage zone). Candidates may check the restricted signage zone of each polling station via OneMap app from the start of the campaign period; or
5. outside of the electoral division that the candidate/group of candidates is contesting in.

Manner of display

The display of TEA should not obstruct the view of TEA belonging to other candidates. Candidates and their election agents are to ensure that their TEA are not nailed, pasted or inscribed directly onto any surface or otherwise affixed in a manner that significantly damages the premises, conveyance, thing or structure. They should also ensure that the mounting method is non-rigid such as using cable ties or string, and that all materials used for the display (e.g. cable ties, string) are completely removed after the election. They should also ensure that the display does not pose a safety hazard or risk.

	REMOVAL OF UNAUTHORISED TEA

The Returning Officer may direct the removal of unauthorised TEA. Examples of unauthorised TEA are those that do not adhere to the conditions stated in the Returning Officer’s permit; or those that do not comply with the controls on quantity, size, location, manner of and period of display. Such removals may be carried out by any person authorised by the Returning Officer (e.g. ELD’s contractor).

During the campaign period, candidates or their election agents will be contacted as part of investigations on TEA suspected to be unauthorised or in breach of the law. When such TEA are detected, the candidate or his election agent will be notified to rectify the TEA in question within three hours of receiving the notification. However, if the unauthorised TEA infringes safety requirements, the rectification window will be one hour. An email with a case number will be sent to the candidate and his election agent to log the case. Once rectified, the candidate or his election agent is to submit photos of the rectified TEA to ELD’s contractor for documentation and to close the case. The photos should be taken less than five metres from the TEA in question, and should clearly identify its location and surroundings.

During cooling-off period

The cooling-off period refers to the period starting on Cooling-off Day (i.e. the eve of Polling Day) and ending at the close of polling on Polling Day. During this period, candidates and election agents will continue to be notified in advance to remove any unauthorised TEA within the time specified in the notification (i.e. generally within the same rectification window as during the campaign period, save that a 1-hour rectification window will be given for any TEA displayed within 50 metres of a polling station). Further, during the cooling-off period, ELD’s contractor will conduct an island-wide sweep to detect and remove any TEA that is displayed within 50 metres of a polling station.

After Polling Day

Candidates or their election agents must ensure that all their TEA are removed within six days after Polling Day, and the failure to do so is a criminal offence. After the grace period of six days, ELD’s contractor may conduct an island-wide sweep to detect and remove any TEA that are not removed by candidates and their election agents.

	SUM RECOVERABLE FOR REMOVAL OF EACH UNAUTHORISED TEA

Candidates are required to bear the expenses if unauthorised TEA are removed or stopped from being publicly displayed by the Returning Officer or ELD’s contractor. The amount to be borne for each removal (or ceasing of public display) is a sum of $50, and this is recoverable as a debt due to the Government. During the campaign and cooling-off periods, candidates and their election agents will be notified of the $50 payment upon removal of each unauthorised TEA. By the 10th day after Polling Day, candidates will be notified of the consolidated number of removals, the total amount payable, and the deadline for the payment. This cost must be included in the candidates’ election expenses.

Election advertising forming part of any of the following does not need to comply with the published-by requirements if it consists only of the name, image or symbol of the candidate/group of candidates:

Candidates and their election agents are to ensure that the items above do not contain or display any false statement of fact in relation to the personal character or conduct of any candidate/group of candidates, for the purpose of affecting the return of the candidate/group of candidates, or in relation to the withdrawal of any candidate/group of candidates at the election for the electoral division, for the purpose of promoting or procuring the election of any other candidate/group of candidates.

Candidates must apply for a permit from the Police before they can hold an election meeting. The conduct of any election meeting at the Speakers’ Corner will require a Police permit, since its status as an Unrestricted Area will be revoked during the election period.

The Police Elections Permit Office (PEPO) will be conducting an in-person briefing to candidates and their election agents on the application process of Police permits, a day before nomination proceedings. The in-person briefing will be held at 6.30 pm at Police Cantonment Complex’s Auditorium, which is located at Block A, Level 8 of Police Cantonment Complex (391 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088762).

To enter Police Cantonment Complex, candidates and their election agents will need to produce a valid photo-identification document to obtain a security pass. As public parking is not available at the Police Cantonment Complex, candidates and their election agents are advised to park their vehicles at parking facilities in the vicinity or to take public transport.

	PERMIT APPLICATION

Applications for the election meeting permits are encouraged to be made online via the Singapore Police Force’s e-Services at under “Licenses and Permits” (QR codes for direct access have been inserted below), which is accessible to the candidate and his election agent only. Applications can also be made in person by the candidate and his election agent at PEPO.

Candidates or their election agents shall only apply for a single election meeting site per constituency on a given day, and this will be verified by Police’s online application portal (for online applications) and by PEPO for in-person applications.

Applications must be submitted at least a day before the intended election meeting date. Therefore, the earliest day for an election meeting to be held is the day after Nomination Day. Applications for election meetings to be held on this day must be submitted by 4 pm on Nomination Day. Applications for election meetings to be held on other campaign days must be submitted by 2.30 pm the day before the planned election meeting. For example, if the election meeting is planned for Thursday, the candidate or his election agent should apply for a permit by 2.30 pm on Wednesday that same week.

For applications submitted manually at PEPO, the application form shall be completed by the candidate or his election agent and sealed in an envelope which will be provided at PEPO’s reception.

Candidates or their election agents who wish to apply for a permit in person at PEPO, may do so during PEPO’s operating hours. PEPO will operate from Nomination Day to Cooling-off Day. On Nomination Day, it will operate from 2 pm to 6 pm. It will operate from 8.30 am to 6 pm daily thereafter until and inclusive of Cooling-off Day. Candidates and their election agents may call the PEPO hotline at 1800-220-3370 during operating hours or e-mail PEPO at SPF_PEPO_Enquiry@spf.gov.sg for permit-related enquiries.

Upon receipt of a permit application either online or in-person, PEPO may contact the applicant to seek clarifications on the application.

	ALLOCATION OF ELECTION MEETING SITES

Balloting

For sites with contesting applications, even after the ‘Give Way’ rule is applied, the Police Liaison Officer (Elections) (PLO) or the Deputy PLO (DPLO) will conduct a ballot. Applicants will be notified of the ballot if there is an application for the same site during the application process.

Balloting slips will be issued to the involved applicant(s), and will be kept in sealed envelopes, before being placed in the ballot box. PLO or DPLO will then reach into the ballot box and randomly pick out a ballot slip. The first pick will determine the successful applicant who will be awarded the contested site. An alternate site, if any available, would be offered to the unsuccessful parties who had participated earlier in the ballot.

‘Give Way’ rule

Applicant(s) who have previously been allocated a specific election meeting site, would have to ‘give way’ to other applicant(s), who apply for the same election meeting site, on the following day. This has been illustrated in the table below.

For clarity, where there are no other applicants for the site, Party A can still be allocated the site. It will only have to ‘give way’, if there are other applicants for the same site.

Block balloting

As the final nights of the campaign period tend to be the most popular for the conduct of election meetings, PEPO will implement ‘block balloting’ for contested electoral divisions. The adoption of block balloting is to accord political parties and candidates (PP&Cs) with a reasonable opportunity to hold an election meeting near to Polling Day.

For each electoral division, the number of days set aside for block balloting is dependent on the number of parties contesting in that electoral division, as illustrated below. For lunch-time election meeting sites, block balloting will take place.

During block balloting, each applicant (i.e. Party) shall only apply for one site/slot during the days kept for block balloting, for their electoral division. The application for block balloting will close at 2.30 pm on the day before the first block balloted time slot. For non-contested sites/slots, the applicant will make payment at the Landowners’ Office, and PEPO will process their Police permits. For contested sites/slots, a ballot will take place and the successful applicant will make payment at the Landowners’ Office, and PEPO will process their Police permits. Unsuccessful applicants will be offered the remaining sites/slots.

This process will continue until all applicants, who have applied for a site, have received a site during the block balloting period.

	PERMIT ISSUANCE

For applicants of uncontested applications and for applicants who won the ballot, they are required to pay for their Temporary Occupation Licences (TOL) via PayNow at the Landowners’ Office at PEPO while PEPO processes their Police permits. Upon approval of the permit application for an election meeting, the applicant will need to proceed to PEPO to collect the permit. Thereat, the permit conditions will be explained to the applicant in person. The applicant must acknowledge on the permit that he fully understands the conditions and will take full responsibility to comply with them, before the permit is issued.

There is no fee for election meeting permits. However, rental and TOL fees may be imposed by the respective premises owners, and Police will provide further information on these fees imposed in due course.

Candidates and their election agents need to take note of the conditions attached to each election meeting permit issued by the Police.

Candidates and their election agents should take note that the breach of permit conditions is an offence for which the permit holder will be held accountable. Candidates and their election agents are to read the permit conditions carefully and familiarise themselves with all the conditions. The Police take a serious view of all breaches of permit conditions, and investigations will be conducted against the permit holder for a breach of Police permit conditions and enforcement action(s) may be taken.

Candidates must apply for a permit from the Police if they wish to campaign using a perambulating vehicle (whether mechanically propelled or otherwise) fitted with loud-speakers and/or with Traditional Election Advertising (i.e. banners, flags or posters that are publicly displayed from the vehicle, on any public road during the campaign period).

	PERAMBULATING VEHICLE PERMITS

Candidates who wish to use vehicles for campaigning must apply for a perambulating vehicle permit, and applications for the use of perambulating vehicles may be made online via the Singapore Police Force’s e-Services under “Licenses and Permits” (QR codes for direct access have been inserted below), at least a day before the intended commencement date of the perambulating vehicles. The earliest day for the use of perambulating vehicles is the day after Nomination Day. The applications for use of perambulating vehicles on this day must be submitted by 4 pm on Nomination Day. Applicants may indicate a period of intended use for perambulating vehicles from the day after Nomination Day, until the eve of Cooling-off Day.

Applications for the use of perambulating vehicles on all other campaign days must be submitted by 2.30 pm the day before the intended use. For example, if the perambulating vehicle is planned for use on Thursday, the candidate or his election agent should apply for a permit latest by 2.30 pm on Wednesday that same week.

Upon in-principle approval, the applicant will be required to acknowledge all the permit conditions online, before the approved permit will be issued to the permit applicant’s e-mail. There is no need for the applicant to visit the Police Elections Permit Office (PEPO) to collect the perambulating vehicle permit.

There is no fee for perambulating vehicle permits.

	PERMIT CONDITIONS

Candidates and their election agents need to take note of the conditions attached to a perambulating vehicle permit issued by the Police.

Candidates and their election agents should take note that the breach of permit conditions is an offence for which the permit holder will be held accountable. Candidates and their election agents are to read the permit conditions carefully and familiarise themselves with all the conditions. The Police take a serious view of all breaches of permit conditions, and investigations will be conducted against the permit holder for a breach of Police permit conditions and enforcement action(s) may be taken.