The names of eligible voters who failed to cast their votes (known as non-voters) at the 2020 General Election have been removed from the registers of electors.
In a press release by the Elections Department (ELD), Singaporeans may check their elector status electronically under "Voter Services" on the ELD website or under "Profile" in their SingPass app.
Electors in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
The list of electors in polling district PN23 of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) who failed to cast their votes will be published later, however.
Photo via ELD.
ELD explained that the list cannot be prepared now because an election official at the Elias Park Primary School Counting Centre had inadvertently placed the copy of the register of electors into the ballot box, together with counted ballot papers and other documents.
The copy of the register of electors indicate the electors of that polling district who attended to cast their votes on Polling Day.
The ballot box was subsequently sealed and is now kept in the Supreme Court vault.
Must be kept in safe custody
In accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, all the sealed boxes containing counted ballot papers and other documents must be kept in safe custody, pending destruction, at the end of 6 months after the poll (i.e. Jan. 10, 2021).
During the six-month period, only a Judge of the High Court can order the sealed boxes to be opened and their contents inspected.
Even then, it can only be for the purpose of instituting or maintaining a prosecution or an application to invalidate an election.
What's going to happen next?
At the end of the six months after the poll, the contents of the ballot boxes must all be destroyed unless otherwise directed by Order of the President.
According to ELD's release, the President has directed the Returning Officer to retrieve, on or after Jan. 10, 2021 but before the ballot boxes have to be destroyed, only the copy of the register of electors for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
The President has also directed that the copy be destroyed by the Returning Officer not later than 30 days from the date of their retrieval.
Hence, the list of non-voters in district PN23 of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC will thereafter be published for inspection after Jan. 10, 2021.
Elector status
Non-voters at the 2020 General Election or a previous election who wish to vote at future elections may apply to have their names restored to the registers of electors.
A non-voter who was, on July 10 2020, subject to a Covid-19 quarantine order or a requirement to not leave his or her residence (due to a stayhome order) is entitled to have his or her name restored. They need not apply to restore their names.
Non-voters who were subject to a medical certificate and required to not leave their place of residence will also have their names restored on application without penalty.
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Top image via ELD, © Lim Wei Xiang for Mothership.