SINGAPORE: In Singapore’s upcoming general election, foreign family members of candidates will be exempted from a longstanding rule prohibiting foreigners from participating in election activities.
This means they can accompany candidates on walkabouts and show support during campaigns, but they are still barred from actively canvassing for votes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a joint statement with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and the Elections Department (ELD) on 3 February, outlined the rule change.
The statement was issued in response to queries following the publication of several amendments to election laws in the government e-Gazette on 20 January.
MHA described the change as a “practical approach,” acknowledging that candidates may have foreign family members who wish to express their support.
However, it maintained that only Singaporeans should participate in the political process.
With this amendment, foreign family members—including permanent residents—will no longer need written authorisation from a candidate or their election agent to be involved in certain activities.
These permitted activities include accompanying the candidate on house visits, walkabouts, and rallies, as well as expressing support on personal social media profiles.
Despite the exemption, foreign family members cannot take actions that might be interpreted as persuading or dissuading voters.
Additionally, individuals under 16 will remain restricted from participating in election activities, consistent with existing rules under the Parliamentary Elections Act.
Another amendment published in the government e-Gazette addressed the maximum number of people allowed in designated areas for counting overseas votes.
The ELD stated that this rule had been observed in past elections and was now being formally documented for clarity.
These changes come as Singapore prepares for its next general election, which must be held by November 2025.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong initiated the election process by forming an ad-hoc Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC), as announced by the ELD on 22 January.
Historically, the EBRC has taken between four and 11 months to complete its work, with the most recent committee finishing in seven months.
Based on past timelines, the next election could take place as early as May 2025 if the committee concludes its tasks quickly, similar to the timeline seen during the 2011 General Election.
Singapore’s Parliament is required to be dissolved by 24 August 2025, when its five-year term concludes and an election to be held within three months of its dissolution.
Despite the tight timeline, PM Wong has not announced when the election will be held.