The Singapore General Elections 2025 season is now upon us, and it is time to exercise your right to vote. Come 3 May, Singaporeans from all over will be making their way to the polls to decide on the people they think will best lead the nation.
But before Polling Day, there are other key dates of note for Singapore General Elections 2025. Here are what they are and what they mean for citizens:
Writ of Election: 15 April 2025
Before every election, a Writ of Election is issued by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Writ itself is a formal legal document that signals the dissolution of Parliament and, more importantly, marks the start of the election process.
Within the document, it also specifies the dates for Nomination Day and Polling Day, which we will talk more about below.
Nomination Day: 23 April 2025
Nomination Day is when prospective candidates officially submit their nomination papers, and that is also when citizens will know who will be officially contesting in their respective GRCs (Group Representation Constituency) and SMCs (Single Member Constituencies)
In terms of how the process works, prospective candidates are required to submit their nomination papers and certificates to the Returning officer at the nomination centre accompanied by their proposers, seconders, and at least four assentors.
If, at the end of the nomination period, only one candidate is nominated for a Single Member Constituency (SMC), or only one team is nominated for a Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the Returning Officer will announce that they have won by walkover–which means they’re automatically elected as Members of Parliament (MPs), and no voting is needed.
However, if there is more than one candidate or team contesting in a constituency (which is usually the case), the Returning Officer will then schedule a Polling Day, where voters will cast their votes to decide the winner.
There are 97 seats to be contested in total for Singapore General Elections 2025, spread out across 18 GRCs and 15 SMCs.
Campaigning Period: 23 April to 1 May 2025
Once nomination proceedings close on Nomination Day, the Campaigning Period begins immediately.
This is when the flashiest parts of the elections happen, where you will see candidates from all the political parties make appearances in your local neighbourhood—engaging in activities such as walkabouts, house-to-house visits, distributing pamphlets, and holding rallies.
Candidates can campaign for 9 days until 1 May, but will have to stop when Cooling-off Day arrives the next day.
Cooling-off Day: 2 May 2025
The eve of Polling Day is designated as Cooling-off Day, a day where election campaigning is prohibited. This 24-hour campaign silence period is to give voters some time to reflect rationally on issues raised during the election before going to the polls. You may be surprised to know that this is a recent addition to the election process, having been introduced in the 2011 General Election.
Though candidates aren’t allowed to campaign on this day, you may still see existing advertisements on display while out and about. News reports will also continue to share election-related information and news during this time.
Polling Day: 3 May 2025
Finally, the big day. On Polling Day, qualified electors can go to their allotted polling stations to cast their votes for the candidates competing in their Electoral Division any time between 8 am and 8 pm. You can check which Electoral Division you belong to from the Elections Department Singapore website, and your designated polling station will be listed when you receive your polling card.
After the close of polls in Singapore, the ballot boxes containing the votes cast will be sealed and transported to the respective counting centres.
Meanwhile, overseas Singaporeans who are registered as overseas electors can also cast their votes at the overseas polling stations allotted to them. Due to the difference in time zones, voting at some overseas polling stations may take place before the poll starts in Singapore. However, all overseas polling stations have to close before the poll ends in Singapore.
After an overseas poll is closed, the ballot boxes are sent back to Singapore to be counted and must arrive within 10 days after Polling Day for the votes to be counted. The Returning Officer may also allow up to 7 more days if votes are not able to make it back in time.
And for those who may be wondering—yes, Polling Day is declared to be a public holiday as per the Elections Department Singapore website.
Announcement of Election Results
Sample counts are performed at the start of the counting process to get an early indication of the possible electoral outcome for that electoral division. As these are just samples containing a random bundle of 100 ballots, the election result could be different. Sample counts are announced within two hours of polls in order to curb speculation.
Eventually, results for each Electoral Division are announced by the Returning Officer, typically revealed on the same night as Polling Day—we will likely know all the winners by the early hours of the next day.
However, there are circumstances which may delay the reveal of the results. If the margin between candidates is found to be 2% or less, recounts may be requested, which adds additional time to the counting process.
In the event that overseas votes may affect the outcome, results for that respective division are deemed inconclusive, at least until those votes are counted. A winner is determined once votes from overseas have arrived and been counted.
With the key election dates now in your calendar, all that’s left is to stay informed and show up when it matters the most! Whether it’s local or overseas, every vote shapes the future — and yours matters!
To receive updates on Singapore General Elections 2025, be sure to check the official Elections Department Singapore website or follow their Facebook page.
Visuals courtesy of airconditionednation via Poxabay.
