SINGAPORE: Singaporeans will go to the polls on 3 May for the country’s 14th General Election, following the dissolution of Parliament by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Tuesday, 15 April.
Nomination Day will be held on 23 April.
This election marks the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who was sworn in last May, leading the city-state’s fourth-generation (4G) leadership team.
Wong succeeded Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong as secretary-general of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in December 2024.
At stake are 97 seats across 33 constituencies – comprising 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).
In the 2020 General Election, conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the PAP secured 61.24 per cent of the vote and won 83 out of 93 seats.
However, the Workers’ Party (WP) made notable gains, capturing its second GRC. WP chief Pritam Singh was subsequently designated as Leader of the Opposition.
The upcoming election may see candidates from 11 parties, including two opposition alliances. Since the 2015 polls, the opposition has contested every seat.
Nine Nomination Centres Announced; Cooling-off Day Set for 2 May
Nomination Day will mark the start of a nine-day campaigning period.
The final day of campaigning will fall on 1 May, coinciding with the annual May Day Rally, during which labour movement leaders and tripartite partners traditionally gather for a large-scale event, with an address delivered by the Prime Minister.
2 May will serve as Cooling-off Day, giving voters time to reflect and consider the key issues before casting their ballots.
“Under the law, Polling Day at any General Election shall be a public holiday. Every employer shall on Polling Day allow every elector in his employ a reasonable period of time to vote,” the Elections Department stated in a media release on Tuesday.
The Returning Officer for the election is Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. There will be nine nomination centres.
The 14th Parliament, which began on 24 August 2020, was the second longest in Singapore’s history, sitting for around four years and eight months.
It also ended with the highest number of vacant seats since independence, after six MPs left for various reasons.
Under Singapore’s political system, Cabinet ministers retain their portfolios after Parliament is dissolved, continuing their duties until the new Parliament convenes.
Indicators of an imminent election had been mounting in recent months, particularly following the formation of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) on 22 January.
The committee released its report nearly seven weeks later, revealing key changes to the electoral map, although five GRCs and four SMCs remain unchanged.
In the lead-up to the polls, political parties have been introducing potential candidates and increasing grassroots engagement.
According to a January survey, top voter concerns include the rising cost of living, employment, and job security.
A return to full campaigning – including physical rallies not seen in a decade – is anticipated in what will be Singapore’s first General Election since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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