There are no penalties for not reinstating oneself, apart from the fact that one will not be allowed to vote again.

But how many people actually bother to make their case to the Registration Officer? Many of my friends say they won't or can't be bothered to make the effort.

'I won't get to vote again. So what? The PAP wins all the time anyway,' said one, who is on holiday in Britain. (The trip was planned before Polling Day was announced.)

'My vote doesn't matter, and I'm hardly in the country anyway,' said another, a frequent business traveller who is on a working trip in Houston, Texas.

Now, these are well-educated, intelligent Singaporeans who are highly prized by their respective employers. They travel constantly for work and, therefore, unofficially and inadvertently, represent Singapore on foreign shores. They are also busy doing their part to boost Singapore's economy.

It worries me that they think their vote is inconsequential, although I can understand their reasons. On a superficial level, they are right, especially this year when 56.5 per cent - 1.22 million people - of the eligible electorate will get a chance to vote.

Only 33 per cent of the electorate, or 675,306 voters, got to vote in the last poll in 2001, which saw 55 walkovers - the largest number since 1968.

The numbers, however, do not take into account voter apathy.

Based on calculations using available data from election results in 2001, out of the 675,306 eligible voters that year, only 638,903 actually cast their ballots. This meant that 36,403 voters did not show up at the polls.

In 1997, out of a total of 765,332 voters, 734,000 cast their ballots. This meant that 31,332 voters went missing.

It is not known how many of these eventually had their names reinstated in the electoral register.

In other words, it is not known how many voters were 'lost' in those two elections, as well as in previous polls.

If it is a large number, it may mark a worrying trend. But even if it is a small number, it is still cause for worry in the long term.

As of press time, The Straits Times was unable to get official figures.

In the United States and Europe, the 'vanishing voter' was the subject of much scrutiny and concern in recent years. When former US president Bill Clinton was re-elected in 1996, it was with the support of less than 25 per cent of the American population. Of that percentage, fewer than half of all Americans actually voted and Mr Clinton received less than half the vote, according to the Atlas of US Presidential Elections.

Studies have generally attributed voter attrition to ignorance, a feeling of powerlessness and sheer laziness. The last reason is especially pertinent in the US, where citizens have to register to be allowed to vote.

In Singapore, eligible voters are notified and sent their poll cards by post.

Ignorance is something that can be combated with public education and awareness. Powerlessness, however, cannot be so easily addressed, not unless people are made to feel that their votes do make a difference, as was the case in the 2004 US presidential elections, when both Democrats and Republicans actively drove home the message that every vote mattered, including those of Americans overseas.

They had learnt their lesson from the 2000 presidential elections when Democrats felt the pain of Mr Al Gore's borderline 'hanging on a chad' loss in Florida. Republicans, too, realised that they could not leave things to chance. Every vote counts. And recounts, if need be.

In Singapore, the average citizen's political participation depends on two things: Whether his constituency is contested and whether he actually shows up to cast his ballot at the end of the day.

The first depends on the opposition parties. If nobody contests a ward, the ruling party automatically gets re-elected.

The second depends on voter turnout. One no-show means one vote less, for whichever party.

While the opposition parties this year have risen to the challenge by blocking the automatic return of the ruling party into power, have the voters?

Cynics feel that the PAP will always win, regardless of their vote. But in truth, all votes matter, no matter what your party affiliation, especially in closely contested wards, such as Potong Pasir.

In 2001, Singapore Democratic Alliance incumbent Chiam See Tong won his fifth term by only 751 votes, the smallest victory margin in the last election.

As the competition heats up and the opposition matures, there may be more of such close contests in elections to come.

Complacency could lead to a shock loss and the best battle strategies - regardless of which party - should cover all bases, leaving nothing to chance.

The Government has already done some work on this matter by making it easier for more Singaporeans living overseas to vote.

Similarly, all the parties here should do more to engage all voters, including those who will be overseas on polling day.

While this group of voters may not count this time around, it is important that they feel the need to vote the next time opportunity knocks.

So, while all the talk so far has been about estate upgrading, non-submission of forms and defamation lawsuits, perhaps someone should look long and hard at the only thing that really matters in any election - the voter. More specifically in this case, the voters who have gone missing, and how to get them back.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

Cynics feel that the PAP will always win, regardless of their vote. But in truth, votes matter, no matter what your party affiliation, especially in closely contested wards, such as Potong Pasir. In 2001, Singapore Democratic Alliance incumbent Chiam See Tong won his fifth term by only 751 votes, the smallest victory margin in the last election.