Votes are secret

The use of serial numbers enable 'strict accounting of all ballot papers issued and cast', says the Elections Department in response to queries from the public

May 9, 2006
Elections Department

I would like to thank Mr Charles Tan Meah Yang and Mr Wee Kah Huat for their letters, “Why a need to serialise actual ballot slips?” and “Checks necessary, but some procedures obscure”. (TODAY, 8 May 2006)

The “two other polling officials” Mr Wee referred to were polling agents representing the contesting candidates. Polling agents may, before voting begins, witness the sealing of the empty ballot boxes. At the close of the poll, they may witness the sealing of the boxes. The “stack of documents” Mr Wee saw in front of the polling agents are the register of electors for that polling place. When the polling official reads out the name of the voter, the polling agents will strike off the name on their copy of the register, to ensure that the person present is indeed a qualified voter of that polling district, as a safeguard against impersonation. The polling agents observe polling activities during the day and are part of the process which ensures that polling is done fairly and in accordance with the law.

Every polling station is divided into a number of polling places or “lanes”, each catering to about 1,000 voters. Voters are so assigned in order to make voting more convenient and smooth. The process of thoroughly mixing ballot papers from the different lanes before counting ensures that results cannot be attributed to specific housing blocks.

Serial numbers on ballot papers deter electoral fraud. Serial numbers enable strict accounting of all ballot papers issued and cast. With the serial numbers, the number of papers found in the ballot box at the end of the election can be reconciled with the number of papers issued during the poll and the number of papers stocked before the poll began. This counters the threat of ballot boxes being stuffed with counterfeit ballot papers.

The purpose of writing a voter’s registration number on the counterfoil, coupled with the serialised ballot paper, is to provide evidence, in the event that there is an allegation of impersonation. For example, if a person claims that someone else has impersonated him and voted on his behalf, this can only be proven by matching the questionable ballot paper with the counterfoil. After the votes are counted, all the ballot papers and their counterfoils are sealed in a box and stored in the Supreme Court vault for six months, after which the sealed boxes will be incinerated, to preserve the secrecy of the votes.

Within the six months, the key safeguard is that the ballot papers can be examined only upon the order of a High Court, pursuant to an election petition. The Court will issue such an order only when it is satisfied that an election result may have been affected by a fraudulent vote or votes which have been cast. Such deterrence works, because in the history of our elections since 1948, our courts have never had to issue such an order.

Singaporeans can rest assured that we have a time-tested process, which prevents and deters fraud, and which preserves the integrity of our electoral process, without undermining vote secrecy.

Ms Emilyn Yah
Manager (Public Education and Training)
Elections Department