1955 Singaporean general election

General elections were held in Singapore on 2 April 1955 to elect the 25 elected seats in the Legislative Assembly. Nomination day was on 28 February 1955.

1955 Singaporean general election
2 April 1955
25 (of the 32) seats to the Legislative Assembly
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader David Marshall Tan Chye Cheng Lee Kuan Yew
Party LF PP PAP
Leader's seat Cairnhill Cairnhill (defeated) Tanjong Pagar
Last election Did not contest 6 seats, 45.4% Did not contest
Seats won 10 4 3
Seat change New 2 New
Popular vote 42,300 38,695 13,634
Percentage 27.1% 24.8% 8.7
Swing New 20.6% New
Chief Minister before election

Newly created

 Resulting Chief Minister

David Marshall
LF

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Background

Following the promulgation of the Rendel Constitution, the 1955 elections were the first occasion on which a majority of the seats were to be elected rather than be appointed by the colonial authorities. The new constitution was written after recommendations by a committee to grant local citizens more autonomy, headed by George Rendel, were passed.

According to the new Constitution, locals would share executive power with the colonial authorities and there would be a Chief Minister among elected legislators. The number of elected seats was increased to 25, with the British government appointing the remaining seven members. For the first time, political parties were permitted to adopt a standard party symbol for all their candidates and independents to select theirs instead of balloting for them[1]

The Governor of Singapore and Colonial Secretary posts were replaced by a Chief Secretary, who inherited the power to appoint four nominated Assembly Members. Also scrapped were the seats of the Solicitor-General, two directors, two ex-officios, the three commercial organisations and the City Council representative.

Timeline
Date Event
5 FebruaryDissolution of the Legislative Council
28 FebruaryNomination Day
2 AprilPolling day
6 AprilInauguration of David Marshall as Chief Minister
7 AprilFormation of Council of Ministers
22 AprilOpening of 1st Legislative Assembly

Changes in electoral boundaries
See also: List of Singaporean electoral divisions (1955–59)
ConstituencyDivisions formed from
Bukit PanjangBukit Timah & Seletar
CairnhillBalestier, Rochore & Tanglin
Farrer ParkBalestier
GeylangKatong
HavelockCity, Keppel & Tanglin
Kampong KaporRochore
Pasir PanjangBukit Timah & Keppel
Paya LebarChangi & Katong
Punggol-TampinesChangi
QueenstownBukit Timah, Keppel & Tanglin
SembawangBukit Timah & Seletar
SerangoonBalestier, Changi & Seletar
Southern IslandsBukit Timah & Keppel
StamfordCity & Rochore
Tanjong PagarCity & Keppel
Telok AyerCity
Tiong BahruKeppel
Ulu BedokChangi
WhampoaBalestier

Results

Much to the surprise for British, who had anticipated a Progressive victory and its leader, Tan Chye Cheng, to emerge as Chief Minister, it was the Labour Front that garnered the most seats and its chairman, David Marshall, thus became Singapore's first Chief Minister. Both losing and winning parties were shocked by the results.[2] Labour Front formed a government with support of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), UMNO and the Malay Union.

In its first elections, the newly formed People's Action Party, led by lawyer and former Progressive Party election agent Lee Kuan Yew, chose to field only a handful of candidates to protest against the Rendel Constitution. As the sole opposition party leader to win a seat, Lee became the new Leader of the Opposition.

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Labour Front42,30027.110New
Progressive Party38,69524.84–2
Democratic Party32,11520.52New
People's Action Party13,6348.73New
Malayan Chinese Association (SA)6,2034.01New
United Malays National Organisation (SA)5,7213.71New
Labour Party1,3250.80–2
Malay Union (SA)1,2330.81New
Independents15,0989.73+2
Invalid/blank votes1,751–––
Total158,07510025+16
Registered voters/turnout300,19952.7––
Source: Singapore Elections

See also

References
  1. "1955 Legislative Assembly general election". National Library Board. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  2. "1955 Legislative Assembly general election". National Library Board. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  • Sr, Pugalenthi (1996) Elections in Singapore VJ Times International Pte Ltd, Singapore ISBN 981-221-025-3
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