2020 Singaporean general election

The 2020 Singaporean general election is scheduled for Friday, 10 July 2020.[3] It will elect Members of Parliament to the 14th Parliament of Singapore since Singapore's independence in 1965, using the first-past-the-post electoral system. Voting is mandatory for all Singaporeans aged 21 or above as of 1 March 2020 for the purpose of this election.[4]

2020 Singapore general election
10 July 2020
All 93 elected seats (+ up to 12 NCMP seats)
to the Parliament of Singapore
47 elected seats needed for a majority
Registered2,653,942
 
Leader Lee Hsien Loong Pritam Singh
Party PAP WP
Leader since 3 December 2004 8 April 2018[1]
Leader's seat Ang Mo Kio Aljunied
Last election 83
69.9%		 6 + 3 NCMPs
12.5%
Current seats 82[2] 6 + 3 NCMPs
Incumbent Prime Minister

Lee Hsien Loong
PAP
Singapore
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Singapore
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This election will be the 18th general election in Singapore and the 13th since independence. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) will attempt to secure their 15th consecutive term in government since 1959.

Background

According to Article 65(4) of the Constitution, the maximum term of any given Parliament is five years from the date of its first sitting following a general election, after which it is dissolved by operation of law. However, the Prime Minister may advise the President to dissolve Parliament at any time during the five-year period.[5][6][7][8] A general election must be held within three months after every dissolution of Parliament. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department (ELD), which is under the Prime Minister's Office.[9]

There are 93 elected seats in Parliament organised into 14 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 17 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). Each SMC returns one Member of Parliament using the first past the post voting system, while each GRC returns 4 or 5 MPs by block voting, at least one of whom must be from the Malay, Indian or other minority communities. A group of persons wishing to stand for election in a GRC must all be members of the same political party, or a group of independent candidates. The voting age in Singapore is 21 years.

On 23 June 2020 at 4 pm SGT, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced during a live televised announcement that President Halimah Yacob had dissolved the 13th Parliament of Singapore on the same day and had issued a writ of election with nominations to be held a week later on 30 June 2020.[10][11][12][13][14]

The Returning Officer is Tan Meng Dui, a former Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of National Development and current CEO of the National Environment Agency. This is his first election as Returning Officer, taking over from Ng Wai Choong who had served in this role in the previous general election.[15][16][17]

Political parties
Main article: List of political parties in Singapore

The governing People's Action Party (PAP) has been in power since 1959 and is currently led by the Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong. The leading opposition party is the Worker's Party led by Pritam Singh, with six elected seats and three NCMP seats. A total of ten opposition parties are challenging the ruling party in this election.

Party Abbreviation Leader Year formed Seats before GE2020 Parliamentary presence
People's Action PartyPAPLee Hsien Loong
1954
82
Legislative Assembly:
 1955-1965[18]
City Council Elections:
1957-1965[19]
Singapore Parliament:
 1965–Present
Workers' PartyWPPritam Singh
1957
6 + 3 NCMPs
Legislative Assembly:
 1961-1963[20]
City Council Elections:
 1957-1959[19]
Singapore Parliament:
1981–1986; 1991–Present
Singapore Democratic PartySDPChee Soon Juan
1980
0
Singapore Parliament:
1984–1997
National Solidarity PartyNSPSpencer Ng
1987
0
Singapore Parliament:
 2001–2006
Singapore People's PartySPPSteve Chia
1994
0
Singapore Parliament:
1997–2015
Singapore Democratic AllianceSDADesmond Lim Bak Chuan
2001
0
Singapore Parliament:
2001–2011
Reform PartyRPKenneth Jeyaretnam
2008
0
—
People's Power PartyPPPGoh Meng Seng
2015
0
—
Peoples VoicePVLim Tean
2018
0
—
Progress Singapore PartyPSPTan Cheng Bock
2019
0
—
Red Dot United		RDURavi Philemon
2020
0
—

Changes in election process

The Elections Department introduced several new features for this election to help ease the election process for voters, candidates and election volunteers. Voters will be able to mark their candidate(s) choices more clearly using self-inking pens and enjoy shorter queuing time with the introduction of the e-registration system. Candidates are able to fill in most of the necessary documents online while election volunteers are able to count the number of votes within a shorter duration with the help of counting machines, enabling election results to be released at least 50 minutes earlier.[21][22] In addition, there will be more polling stations, reducing the average number of voters per polling station from 3,000 to about 2,400. Senior citizens above the age of 65 will be given priority to vote between 8am and 12pm on Polling Day.[23]

Non-constituency Member of Parliament

On 27 January 2016, a bill was passed for the Constitution, increasing the total number of members by three to 12 members. This is the first increase for the number of members allocated since the 2011 Singaporean general election, where it was increased from three members to nine.[24] As in the case for previous elections, NCMPs are offered to the best-performing non-elected opposition candidates, with the number determined by the total number of opposition candidates elected; if there are at least 12 oppositions-elect, then NCMPs will not be offered, as previously seen in the 1991 election. The names of the eligible candidates are announced a few days after the polling day. Candidates may decline the post if offered, as was seen previously in the 1984[25] and 2015 elections.[26][27]

Electoral divisions
Main article: Constituencies of Singapore
2015 2020
Seats
89
93
Electoral divisions
29
31
Group representation constituencies
16
17
Four-Member GRCs66
Five-Member GRCs811
Six-Member GRCs20
Single member constituencies
13
14
Voters
2,458,058
style="background: #DDF; color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|TBA
Voters (overseas votes inclusive)
2,462,926
style="background: #DDF; color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|TBA

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee is made up of senior civil servants and charged with adjusting the boundaries of electoral divisions prior to an election. The government officially claims this as necessary to ensure minority participation in Parliament amidst demographic changes while ensuring an equitable amount of voters represented per MP, though critics have raised allegations of gerrymandering to disadvantage the opposition.[28][29][30][31] As of 2015, there were 16 GRCs and 13 SMCs. Prime Minister Lee convened the committee on 1 August 2019 with instructions to reduce the size of GRCs and increase the amount of SMCs.[32][33] The exact date of formation was revealed only when Opposition Leader Pritam Singh asked Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing in a written reply in Parliament.[34]

The Committee released its report on 13 March 2020 with the formation of 17 GRCs and 14 SMCs.[35][36] For the first time since 1991, six-member GRCs were eliminated and reduced to five. A new Sengkang GRC was formed from portions of the former Punggol East and Sengkang West SMCs and the boundaries of Tampines GRC were altered for the first time since 2001, due to the increase in population in the northeastern area of Singapore. Four new SMCs were also carved out (Kebun Baru, Yio Chu Kang, Marymount and Punggol West), three former SMCs were absorbed into neighbouring GRCs (Fengshan, Punggol East and Sengkang West), while two SMCs (Hong Kah North and Potong Pasir) had their boundaries modified. The remaining SMCs and four GRCs (Aljunied, Holland-Bukit Timah, Jurong and Tanjong Pagar) were left untouched, though the Workers' Party raised questions on the abolition of SMCs that it had previously contested and lost by a narrow margin. The changes saw about 13% of voters being allocated to a new constituency and increased the amount of seats from 89 to 93.[36]

Electoral Boundaries

The changes made in the electoral divisions are as follows:

Name of GRC Changes
Ang Mo Kio GRC Ward downsized to five members
Absorbed western portions of Sengkang West SMC
Carved out Yio Chu Kang division into SMC
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Carved out Bishan North division into SMC, and Novena and Balestier to Jalan Besar GRC
Absorbed Toa Payoh portion from Potong Pasir SMC
Chua Chu Kang GRC Carved out Nanyang division to West Coast GRC and portions of Tengah New Town into Hong Kah North SMC
East Coast GRC Ward upsized to five members
Absorbed Fengshan SMC
Jalan Besar GRC Absorbed portions of Novena and Balestier portion from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC
Marine Parade GRC Carved out a major portion of Bidadari into Potong Pasir SMC
Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Absorbed portions of Woodlands and Innova from Sembawang GRC
Nee Soon GRC Carved out Kebun Baru division into SMC
Absorbed portions of Simpang and Yishun from Sembawang GRC
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Ward downsized to five members
Carved out Punggol West division into SMC, Sengkang Central division to Sengkang GRC, and Tampines North to Tampines GRC
Sembawang GRC Carved out Woodlands and a few parts of Innova to Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, and portions of Simpang and Yishun to Nee Soon GRC
Sengkang GRC New Constituency
Formed from Punggol East SMC, eastern portions of Sengkang West SMC, and Sengkang Central from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
Tampines GRC Absorbed Tampines North from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
West Coast GRC Ward upsized to five members
Absorbed portions of Nanyang from Chua Chu Kang GRC and Bulim portion of the Hong Kah North SMC

Disruptions from COVID-19 pandemic
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

During a Straits Times forum on 11 March, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that the timing of the elections could be affected in view of the worsening pandemic.[37] On 25 March, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament that he believed it would be unconstitutional for the President to form a caretaker government unless a state of emergency had been recommended by the Cabinet to the President.[38]

On 28 March, Tan Cheng Bock responded to Teo's comments by saying that the unconstitutional nature of a caretaker government as a result of a postponing a general election would be far more preferred than having a health emergency by exposing millions of Singaporeans to potential COVID-19 infection.[39]

On 7 April, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing introduced the Parliamentary Elections (COVID-19 Special Arrangements) Bill to Parliament which would allow voters under Stay-Home Notices or Quarantine Orders related to COVID-19 to vote outside of their normal electoral divisions in the upcoming General Election.[40] The Bill was passed by Parliament on 4 May and assented to by the President on 15 May.[41] The Parliamentary Elections (COVID-19 Special Arrangements) Act 2020 came into operation on 26 May.[42]

The restrictions on gatherings of more than five people meant that opposition parties seemed unlikely to gather for their usual discussions to avoid a possible multi-party fights in certain constituencies.[43]

Restrictions on election campaigning

On 18 June, the ELD introduced temporary measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, such as no rallies and TV screenings pertaining to the election are to be held, instead replacing with e-rallies and a new "Constituency Political Broadcast",[44] and nomination centres will no longer admit members of the public or supporters during nomination day. Walkabouts and campaigning vehicles are still allowed, though safe distancing and minimal physical contact still applies, and candidates are also not allowed to make speeches or physical rallies, including during the campaigning from campaigning vehicles, meaning that there will be no parades held by the candidates after the election.[45]

During polling day, voters are given a recommended two-hour time slot (from 8am to 8pm) on their ballot card as a measure to counter long queues during polling; measures for safe distancing still applies, however, due to a constitution where voting is mandatory, it is currently unknown whether voters with fever or respiratory symptoms are exempt from voting.[46][47]

Political developments

People's Action Party (PAP)

On 13 March 2016, the PAP MP for Bukit Batok SMC David Ong resigned over personal indiscretions with a party grassroots activist. In the subsequent Bukit Batok by-election, the People's Action Party candidate and former Aljunied GRC candidate Murali Pillai defeated the opposition Singapore Democratic Party candidate Chee Soon Juan to reclaim the seat for the PAP.[48]

In the lead up to the 2017 Singapore presidential election, Speaker of Parliament and MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Halimah Yacob resigned from the party on 7 August 2017 to fulfil regulations prohibiting the President of Singapore from any party affiliations.[49] As she had vacated her seat in Parliament, there were calls for a by-election, though the Court of Appeal eventually ruled that there was "no duty to call a by-election when a single vacancy arises in a GRC".[50]

On 23 November 2018, Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing were respectively elected as the party's first and second assistant Secretary-General to the PAP's 35th Central Executive Committee.[51] The two assistant posts were seen as an indicator of Lee Hsien Loong's successor, given that the upcoming election is likely to be Lee's last.[52] Following the announcement of Heng Swee Keat's appointment as the sole Deputy Prime Minister on 1 May 2019, succeeding Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former MP Inderjit Singh said that the PAP intends to showcase Heng's imminent ascent to the top post and dispel rumours of any surprises in the leadership succession.[53][54]

Workers' Party (WP)

On 3 November 2017, then-Secretary General and Aljunied GRC incumbent MP Low Thia Khiang announced during a speech on the party's 60th anniversary that he would not contest the next party elections.[55] During the party's 2016 Central Executive Committee election, Chen Show Mao had mounted a surprise challenge for the leadership post but lost the election to Low in a 41–65 vote. In the leadership election on 8 April 2018, Pritam Singh was elected unopposed as successor to Low as the party's new Secretary-General.[56]

Observers say that the lack of a contest was a good sign of internal unity, and that the party is keen to demonstrate its multiracial credentials now that it has a non-Chinese secretary-general, for the first time since 2001 with J. B. Jeyaretnam.[57]

On 30 April, Low was hospitalised due to a head injury, and was discharged on 21 May.[58][59] On 25 June, while Low was on rehabilitation, he announced his retirement from politics after a 32-year career, saying that he had accomplished his goal of winning a GRC and nurturing a new generation of leaders.[60][61][62]

New parties
  • 2011 presidential election candidate and former Ayer Rajah SMC MP Tan Cheng Bock returned to politics under the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) that he founded together with several previously contested candidates on 18 January 2019.[63] The PSP was registered by the Registrar of Societies on 28 March 2019.[64] The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) announced on Friday (June 26) its line-up of candidates for all the nine constituencies it will be contesting, with party chief Tan Cheng Bock leading a team in West Coast GRC, a ward that has his constituency of Ayer Rajah.[65]
  • Former leader of the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Lim Tean founded Peoples Voice which was registered by the Registrar of Societies on 31 October 2018.[66][67]
  • On 29 May 2020, Ravi Philemon and Michelle Lee, former members of the PSP, announced that they had submitted an application to register a new political party, Red Dot United, with the Registrar of Societies.[68] The party was registered on 15 June 2020.[69]

Other parties without parliamentary presence

Timeline
Map of contested electoral divisions among opposition parties
Date Event
13 MarchPublication of the Electoral Boundaries report[36]
15 AprilCertification of Registers of Electors[82]
8 June Appointment of POFMA alternate authorities during election period[83][84]
18 June Release of preliminary campaigning guidelines[85]
23 June Dissolution of 13th Parliament; Writ of Election issued[10][11][12]
26 JuneDeadline of Submission of Political Donation Certificates[3]
30 June Nomination Day[12][86]
30 June–8 JulyCampaigning Period
2 JulyFirst Political Party Broadcast[87]
3–8 JulyConstituency Political Broadcasts[87]
9 JulyCooling-off Day and Second Political Party Broadcast[87]
10 July Polling Day[3]

Pre-nomination day events

List of notable events that occurred prior to Nomination Day on 30 June 2020. All times are reflected in Singapore Standard Time (SGT).

Date Party Events Source
1 March The Registers of Electors revised eligible candidates with a cut-off date of 29 February. The certification was enacted on 15 April. [82]
13 March The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee published a report on new electoral boundaries. [36]
21 April WP announced that NCMP Daniel Goh will be stepping down from its central executive committee (CEC) of the Workers' Party due to health reasons, and not be running in the next General Election. [88]
30 April Aljunied GRC incumbent Low Thia Khiang was warded to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's ICU ward following a head injury, and the party informed on the hospitalization three days later on 3 May. Low was transferred to a general ward on 4 May, and eventually discharged on 21 May. [58][59]
15 June RP unveiled its seven potential candidates:
  • Kenneth Jeyaretnam, Andy Zhu, Noraini Yunus, Darren Soh, Charles Yeo, Mahaboob Batcha and Gurdev Singh.
 [89]
18 June The Elections Department Singapore released preliminary campaigning guidelines pertaining to campaigning and social distancing amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, just a day before Singapore enters the second phase of reopening. [85]
PSP unveiled its first batch of six candidates:
  • Francis Yuen, Taufik Supan, Sri Nallakaruppan, Brad Bowyer, Gigene Wong and Hazel Poa.
 [90]
20 June SPP unveiled its candidates for two constituencies:
  • Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC: Steve Chia, Williiamson Lee, Osman Sulaiman and Melvyn Chiu
  • Potong Pasir SMC: Jose Raymond
 [91]
21 June SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan announced his candidacy for Bukit Batok SMC, which he had previously contested in the 2016 by-election. [92]
23 June At 4pm, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held a televised announcement highlighting future challenges facing Singapore and the relative stability of the COVID-19 situation, then announced the dissolution of the 13th Parliament of Singapore; President Halimah Yacob dissolved the parliament and the writ of election is published. Returning officer Tan Meng Dui adjourned nominations to be held 30 June, and Singapore would go to the polls on 10 July.
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Member of Parliament of Jalan Besar GRC, announced his retirement on Facebook. [93]
PSP leader Tan Cheng Bock announced plans to contest eight constituencies: West Coast GRC, Choa Chu Kang GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, Hong Kah North, Marymount, Pioneer, Yio Chu Kang, and Kebun Baru.The party's second batch of potential candidates are also unveiled:
  • Tan Meng Wah, Kayla Low, A’bas Bin Kasmani, Choo Shaun Ming, Harish Pillay and Ang Yong Guan.
 [94]
WP released a video featuring 12 faces of the party, including leader Pritam Singh, chairperson Sylvia Lim, NCMP Dennis Tan, former Punggol East SMC MP Lee Li Lian and former NSP member Nicole Seah. [95]
 RDU unveiled its candidates for Jurong GRC:
  • Ravi Philemon, Michelle Lee, and Liyana Dhamirah.

However it had also indicated it will step aside if PV chooses to contest in the same constituency.

 [96]
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng announced that the party will be contesting MacPherson SMC and Radin Mas SMC. [97]
24 June RP leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam announced they will withdraw from West Coast GRC to facilitate opposition unity even though the team had contested there in 2015, avoiding a potential three-cornered fight with the PAP and PSP. It will now only contest in Radin Mas SMC, Yio Chu Kang SMC and Ang Mo Kio GRC, allowing a three-cornered contest for Yio Chu Kang. [98]
PSP unveiled Lee Hsien Yang, younger brother of Lee Hsien Loong and also the younger son of Lee Kuan Yew, as a party member. The younger Lee is considering contesting the election. [99]
PAP announced that there will be 26 new candidates this election which will be unveiled over the next few days, bur declined to reveal where the candidates would be standing. The first two groups of four new candidates were announced as followed:
  • Desmond Tan Kok Ming, Edward Chia Bing Hui, Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan and Nadia Ahmad Samdin
  • Wee Boon Hong, Hany Soh Hui Bin, Mohd Fahmi Aliman and Yip Hon Weng
 [100][101]
PV chief Lim Tean announced that the party will be contesting Punggol West SMC and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, anticipating a three-cornered contest for the latter. [102][103]
SDP announced via Zoom that the party will be contesting Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Bukit Panjang SMC and Yuhua SMC. [104]
NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng announced that the party will be contesting Tampines GRC and Sembawang GRC and withdrawing from Pioneer SMC to back PSP. [105]
 RDU unveiled its fourth candidate for Jurong GRC: Nicholas Tang Jian Ye [106]
25 June PV announced its intention to contest Jalan Besar GRC, Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC, Pioneer SMC, Mountbatten SMC and Punggol West SMC. [107]
PAP unveiled three more batches of new candidates, respectively introduced by Heng, Masagos Zulkifli and Grace Fu:
  • Ng Ling Ling, Tan Kiat How, Tan See Leng and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim
  • Yeo Wan Ling, Alvin Tan Sheng Hui, Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah and Eric Chua Swee Leong
  • Derrick Goh Soon Hee, Raymond Lye Hoong Yip and Poh Li San

Emeritus Senior Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Goh Chok Tong, announced his retirement on Facebook after serving Marine Parade for 44 years.

 [108][109]

[110][111]

Perennial candidate Ooi Boon Ewe picked up nomination forms and revealed that he will be standing at Bukit Panjang SMC; if nominated, this would be Ooi's second election since 2001 after unsuccessful nominations in the interim elections, and also the second consecutive election with independent candidates standing. [112]
WP announced its intention to contest East Coast GRC, Marine Parade GRC, Sengkang GRC and Punggol West SMC, while defending its current seats in Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC to be helmed by former NCMPs Gerald Giam and Dennis Tan, respectively. The party also introduced four new candidates:

Incumbent MPs Low Thia Khiang, Chen Show Mao and Png Eng Huat will step down as MPs and not contest in the election.

 [113][61]
 Tan Jee Say announced on his Facebook that he had dissolved Singaporeans First and encouraged its former members to join other opposition parties. [81]
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng announced his candidacy in MacPherson SMC against PAP incumbent Tin Pei Ling; PPP also withdrew from contesting Radin Mas SMC and backed RP. [114]
PSP unveiled a batch of five candidates including a former SAF colonel, a former senior lieutenant-colonel and a lawyer:
  • Nadarajah Loganathan, Wendy Low, Kumaran Pillai, Damien Tay Kian Ping and Michael Chua Teck Leong.
 [115]
RP secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam was reported to serve a mandatory 14-day stay-home notice at a designated stay-home-notice facility after a visit to the United Kingdom, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Health and the Elections Department. [116]
26 June PAP vice-chairman Masagos Zulkifli and Chan Chun Sing unveiled its final batch of new candidates at separate sessions, including the first woman brigadier-general:
  • Gan Siow Huang, Rachel Ong Sin Yen, Sharael Taha and Alex Yeo Sheng Chye
  • Mariam Jaafar, Shawn Huang Wei Zhong, Chan Hui Yuh and Carrie Tan Hui Min; Chan was an intended PAP candidate in the last General election, but ultimately did not participate and was replaced by former MP Yeo Guat Kwang.

Transport Minister and Sembawang GRC MP Khaw Boon Wan announced his retirement.

 [117][118][119]
 RDU announced its final candidate for Jurong GRC: Alec Tok Kim Yam, thus completing the five-member lineup that also include Ravi Philemon, Michelle Lee, Liyana Dhamirah and Nicholas Tang Jian Ye. [120]
PSP unveiled its final batch of five new candidates:
  • Lim Cher Hong, Kala Manickam, Leong Mun Wai, Terence Soon, Abdul Rahman Mohamad and Jeffrey Khoo Poh Tiong.

Later in the day, the party indicated that they will be contesting in Nee Soon GRC in addition to the initial eight constituencies it was planning to contest in.

 [121][122][123]
WP chairman Sylvia Lim unveiled five new candidates:
  • Dennis Tan Lip Fong, Raeesah Begum Farid Khan, Dylan Ng Foo Eng, Jamus Jerome Lim Chee Wui and Ron Tan Jun Yen

The party also announced the candidates that they would stand to defend their constituencies:

 [124]
RP chairman Andy Zhu accused PSP of reneging on an agreement to not contest Yio Chu Kang SMC in return for RP withdrawing from West Coast GRC. PSP assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai later denied that a deal had been reached and "apologised for any misunderstandings", though it did not make any further concessions. [125]

Nomination day

On 30 June 2020 from 11am to 12pm, each candidate is required to file their nomination papers (along with the approval of a proposer, a seconder and at least four assentors), a political donation certificate (by before 26 June), and pay an election deposit of S$13,500 (down from SG$14,500 in the previous 2015 election, but also the same amount as seen in the 2016 by-election) in any of the nine designated schools or through online to complete their application. Additionally, in the case for Group Representation Constituencies, their team must consist of at least one minority candidate and must also submit a community committee form (Malay or Indian/other minority which is dependent on the constituency's requirements).[3]

The list of nine schools designated as nomination centres are:[12]

School Participating constituencies
Bendemeer Primary School Bishan-Toa Payoh GRCM, Jalan Besar GRCM, Radin Mas SMC, Tanjong Pagar GRCIO
Chongfu School Kebun Baru SMC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRCM, Nee Soon GRCIO, Sembawang GRCM
Deyi Secondary School Aljunied GRCM, Ang Mo Kio GRCIO, Marymount SMC, Yio Chu Kang SMC
Jurong Pioneer Junior College Chua Chu Kang GRCM, Hong Kah North SMC, Pioneer SMC
Kong Hwa School MacPherson SMC, Marine Parade GRCM, Mountbatten SMC, Potong Pasir SMC
Methodist Girls’ School Bukit Panjang SMC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRCIO
Nan Hua High School Bukit Batok SMC, Jurong GRCIO, West Coast GRCIO, Yuhua SMC
Poi Ching School Hougang SMC, Tampines GRCM
St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School East Coast GRCM, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCM, Punggol West SMC, Sengkang GRCM
  • M- Indicates a GRC requires a Malay minority candidate; IO- Indicates a GRC requires an Indian or other minority candidate

As in the case of previous elections, candidates will lose their deposit if they are unable to garner at least one-eighth (12.5%) of the valid votes cast within the contested constituency.

Pre-polling day events

This is a list of events that occurred from nomination day until the eve of polling day on 10 July 2020.[126] All times are reflected in Singapore Standard Time (SGT). Similar to previous elections since 2011, candidates begin campaigning from the end of nominations day until two days before polling day. The eve of polling day and after the last day for the campaigning period is cooling-off day, during this time in which campaigning is prohibited except for party political broadcasts.

Incumbent/Outgoing Members of Parliament (MPs)

Outgoing MPs

The list of MPs who are not seeking re-election are reflected in the table.

Name Constituency (Division) Party Latest portfolio Date announced Remarks
Daniel Goh Non-constituency Member of Parliament Non-constituency Member of Parliament 21 April 2020
Yaacob Ibrahim Jalan Besar GRC (Kolam Ayer) Former Cabinet Minister (Communications and Information/Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Cyber Security) 23 June 2020
Goh Chok Tong Marine Parade GRC (Marine Parade) Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister 25 June 2020
Low Thia Khiang Aljunied GRC (Bedok Reservoir-Punggol) Former Leader of the Opposition and Secretary-General of the Workers' Party 25 June 2020
Chen Show Mao Aljunied GRC (Paya Lebar) Member of Parliament 25 June 2020
Png Eng Huat Hougang SMC Member of Parliament 25 June 2020
Khaw Boon Wan Sembawang GRC (Sembawang) Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport 26 June 2020
Charles Chong Punggol East SMC (Punggol East) Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore 27 June 2020


See also

References
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  2. Tham, Yuen-C. "Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob to run for President in coming election". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. Elections Department (23 June 2020). "Press Release on General Election 2020" (PDF).
  4. "Parliamentary Elections (Prescribed Date) Order 2020". Subsidary Legislation Supplement No. S 157 of 2020 (PDF). Republic of Singapore Government Gazette.
  5. "Singapore Elections Department - Parliamentary Elections". eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  6. F, Kathleen. (7 November 2018). "Singapore's GE13 could be held in 2019, say PM Lee". The Online Citizen. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  7. "Singapore General Election in 2019 'Always Possible,' Lee Says". MSN. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  8. Stolarchuk, Jewel (7 July 2018). "GE2019? Elections Department begins training 30,000 public servants to serve as election officials". The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  9. "Singapore Elections Department - About Us". eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  10. "Proclamation by President on Dissolution of Parliament". Notification No. 1201 of 2020 (PDF). Republic of Singapore Government Gazette.
  11. "Proclamation by President on General Election to be Held". Notification No. 1202 of 2020 (PDF). Republic of Singapore Government Gazette.
  12. "Parliamentary Elections Act – Writ of Election". Notification No. 1203 of 2020 (PDF). Republic of Singapore Government Gazette.
  13. Sim, Royston (23 June 2020). "Singapore GE: Election will be 'like no other' not just because of Covid-19, but important issues at stake, says PM Lee". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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