50,000 more names on updated voter rolls

50,000 more names on updated voter rolls

THE latest updated list of Singaporeans on the voter rolls is out, with almost 50,000 more names on it.

The increase is due to citizens reaching the eligible voting age of 21 and new citizens, an Elections Department (ELD) spokesman said yesterday.

In all, there are 2,460,484 Singaporeans on the rolls as of Feb 1 this year, the ELD said.

This is the second update of the rolls since the 2011 General Election. The first was in February last year, showing 2,411,188 eligible voters.

The electoral division that grew the most since the last revision was Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, which now has 206,913 voters, the ELD spokesman said.

Voters who want to check their personal particulars in the latest rolls can do so, but no changes can be made to their names, genders and addresses.

This means a person must vote according to the address given on the register, a requirement that could affect the constituency in which he votes.

However, those who had their names removed because they did not vote in previous elections can apply to have their names restored on the rolls.

The ELD urged them to apply early, as applications will close with the issue of the Writ of Election, a legal document that sets the election process in motion.

The next general election must be held by January 2017.

Voters may check their particulars online at the ELD website or offline at its Prinsep Link premises. They can also do so at community centres and clubs.

Singaporeans living overseas can perform the check at the 10 Singapore overseas missions that serve as polling stations.

Citizens abroad who are on the rolls can apply to be overseas voters for future elections, but only if they had resided in Singapore for at least 30 days between Feb 1, 2012, and Jan 31 this year.

Existing overseas voters need to re-register after each revision of the registers.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, voter rolls must be updated at least once within three years of the last general election. The Act also lets the prime minister call for such revisions from time to time.

Before the 2011 General Election, the rolls were revised three times: February 2009, February 2010 and January 2011.

Previously, the rolls were revised twice before each of these general elections: 1997, 2001 and 2006.

rachelay@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Apr 8, 2015.
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