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How Singapore’s quirky election system works
Bloomberg and Agence France-Presse
Singaporeans vote in snap elections on Friday that the opposition hopes will dramatically boost its presence in parliament and challenge half a century of ruling party domination. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for polls 16 months ahead of schedule to secure a fresh mandate for the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has been in power for 56 years and is widely expected to win another majority. It will be Singapore’s first election without independence leader Lee Kuan Yew - the father of the current premier - who is credited with Singapore’s rapid rise to prosperity when he was in power for three decades.
Here are five quirky things about the country’s general election, which like some other processes in the island state, is a bit different.
Compulsory voting
All Singaporeans who are 21 or over have to vote on election day or stand to lose their right to vote in subsequent polls. Getting back on the ledger is possible only if you have a valid reason for not having voted, like delivering a baby, or are willing to pay S$50 ($35).
For many Singaporeans, Friday will be the first time they get to vote, as opposition parties will contest every parliamentary seat for the first time since independence in 1965. A record 2.5 million Singaporeans will be at the ballot boxes this year, according to the Elections Department.
Quick campaign
Singapore has one of the shortest official campaign periods in the world. This year, candidates will get nine days, the minimum required by the constitution, to woo voters. The country also observes a cooling off day, where no campaigning is allowed on the eve of polling day.
No surveys
It is illegal to publish the results of an election survey or conduct exit polls once an election is called, offenses punishable with up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine not exceeding S$1,500. The Attorney-General’s Chambers issued “stern warnings” to Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, publisher of the island’s most-widely read paper, The Straits Times, in 2013 after it printed the results of a survey of voters during a by-election. Doctor Joseph Ong was arrested in 2011 for publishing an exit poll during the 2011 general election online, AsiaOne reported at the time.
No entertainers
Candidates can only hold outdoor political rallies at designated sites, which are allocated through a ballot. Parties are also barred from sharing the stage with traditional Getai singers, live performances held during the Hungry Ghost Festival that coincides with this year’s vote, a likely draw for middle-aged voters, the Straits Times reported.
Group districts
The government created multi-member wards in 1988 where voters elect a group of candidates instead of an individual. The system requires parties to field as many as six candidates, including at least one of a minority ethnicity.
Singapore also reserves parliamentary seats for Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, who are the “best losers” among the opposition candidates. The system ensures a minimum number of opposition members of parliament after each election.
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south...4/how-singapores-quirky-election-system-works
Bloomberg and Agence France-Presse
Singaporeans vote in snap elections on Friday that the opposition hopes will dramatically boost its presence in parliament and challenge half a century of ruling party domination. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for polls 16 months ahead of schedule to secure a fresh mandate for the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has been in power for 56 years and is widely expected to win another majority. It will be Singapore’s first election without independence leader Lee Kuan Yew - the father of the current premier - who is credited with Singapore’s rapid rise to prosperity when he was in power for three decades.
Here are five quirky things about the country’s general election, which like some other processes in the island state, is a bit different.
Compulsory voting
All Singaporeans who are 21 or over have to vote on election day or stand to lose their right to vote in subsequent polls. Getting back on the ledger is possible only if you have a valid reason for not having voted, like delivering a baby, or are willing to pay S$50 ($35).
For many Singaporeans, Friday will be the first time they get to vote, as opposition parties will contest every parliamentary seat for the first time since independence in 1965. A record 2.5 million Singaporeans will be at the ballot boxes this year, according to the Elections Department.
Quick campaign
Singapore has one of the shortest official campaign periods in the world. This year, candidates will get nine days, the minimum required by the constitution, to woo voters. The country also observes a cooling off day, where no campaigning is allowed on the eve of polling day.
No surveys
It is illegal to publish the results of an election survey or conduct exit polls once an election is called, offenses punishable with up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine not exceeding S$1,500. The Attorney-General’s Chambers issued “stern warnings” to Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, publisher of the island’s most-widely read paper, The Straits Times, in 2013 after it printed the results of a survey of voters during a by-election. Doctor Joseph Ong was arrested in 2011 for publishing an exit poll during the 2011 general election online, AsiaOne reported at the time.
No entertainers
Candidates can only hold outdoor political rallies at designated sites, which are allocated through a ballot. Parties are also barred from sharing the stage with traditional Getai singers, live performances held during the Hungry Ghost Festival that coincides with this year’s vote, a likely draw for middle-aged voters, the Straits Times reported.
Group districts
The government created multi-member wards in 1988 where voters elect a group of candidates instead of an individual. The system requires parties to field as many as six candidates, including at least one of a minority ethnicity.
Singapore also reserves parliamentary seats for Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, who are the “best losers” among the opposition candidates. The system ensures a minimum number of opposition members of parliament after each election.
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south...4/how-singapores-quirky-election-system-works
