Your vote is secret. When an election is held in Singapore, the Elections Department follows the procedures laid out by law to ensure the integrity of the election. 

Safe Custody of Ballot Papers

There is a rigorous process to ensure the security of your vote and voting secrecy. For votes cast in person at polling stations, there is no break in the chain of custody of ballot papers from the polling stations to the counting centres, and from the counting centres to the Supreme Court where the ballot papers are retained in safe custody for six months and then subsequently destroyed. For transparency, the process is open for candidates and their agents to observe.


Before the start of poll at 8 am

Before start of the poll, election officials will show to the candidates and polling agents present at the ordinary polling station that the ballot boxes and their covers are empty before sealing the boxes. Ballot boxes are sealed before the start of the poll in such a way that ballot papers cannot be taken out without having to break the tamper-proof seals. The sealing of the ballot boxes starts 10 minutes before the poll opens.


After the close of poll at 8 pm

At the end of poll, the slits through which marked ballot papers are dropped into the ballot boxes are sealed to ensure that nothing else can be dropped into them. Candidates and their polling agents may affix their seals or sign on the ballot boxes after the election officials have completed sealing of the ballot boxes at the close of the poll. Candidates and their polling agents may also observe the process to transport the sealed ballot boxes from the polling stations to the counting centres.


Counting of votes

At the counting centre, before the ballot boxes are opened, candidates and their counting agents who are present may inspect the ballot boxes again to ascertain that all the boxes are accounted for, and that no others are present; and that the seals of all the ballot boxes are intact and have not been tampered with. The seals are then broken and ballot boxes are opened, and the ballot papers therein are poured out, sorted and counted in their presence. The emptied ballot boxes are also ascertained in the presence of all to be empty.


After announcement of election result

After the election result has been announced by the Returning Officer, the ballot papers and other official documents used in the election are placed into separate boxes and sealed, witnessed by candidates and their counting agents who are present, who may also place their own seals on these boxes. These boxes are stored in the vault at the Supreme Court for 6 months and then subsequently destroyed. For transparency, the process is open for candidates and their agents to observe.


Ballot Paper Serial Number

The serial number on the ballot paper is to protect the integrity of the electoral process. It enables accounting of all ballot papers issued and cast, and guards against counterfeiting and voter impersonation.

When the ballot paper is issued, the voter serial number is written on the ballot paper counterfoil to facilitate vote tracing if necessary. This is allowed only if there is an order from the Court arising from an election petition, and the Court must be satisfied that votes have been fraudulently cast thus affecting the result of the election.

Calling out the voter serial number and voter’s name allows voters to acknowledge that the Presiding Officer has identified the right name and makes the proceedings more transparent to polling agents who are representing their candidates to observe the proceedings.