GE2020: Singaporeans living in 10 overseas cities can still vote

SINGAPORE – On Monday (June 29) the Elections Department Singapore (ELD) said in a press release that Singaporeans living in certain overseas cities will be allowed to vote in the upcoming General Election.

The 10 cities that will have polling stations are Canberra, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, San Francisco and New York. The final decision is still subject to approval by the proper authorities per city where overseas Singaporeans are currently living.

Voting will be done within the “Singapore High Commissions, Embassies or Consulates” within the 10 designated cities where there is a “significant number of Singaporeans,” according to the ELD.

The election’s Returning Officer first consulted the health ministries and foreign affairs here regarding the impact of Covid-19 in each of the 10 cities before deciding to push through with the polling stations. The ELD also reassures its citizens that they will be working with the overseas polling stations to make sure that all necessary precautions are taken to keep both election officials and voters safe.

For Singaporean citizens that prefer to return home to vote, they can do so but will still be placed under a mandatory 14-day stay-home notice, which will be required to be completed at home or in a designated quarantine facility.

The ELD also reassures returning citizens that they can vote within the designated facilities, or for those residing at home with stay-home notices, voting will be done in their own homes in order to lessen contact with others in the polling stations in Singapore.

Registered voters should watch out for necessary dates and hours for overseas polls via the Singapore Government Gazette, other Singapore media outlets and the Elections Department and Overseas Missions that will be used as a polling station abroad.

According to the elections board, registered overseas voters will receive information about voting procedures “after Nomination Day on June 30.”

See the full qualifying criteria needed to be able to register as an overseas voter here. /TISG