Elections Department Singapore
The Elections Department of Singapore is a department of the government of Singapore under the Prime Minister's Office that oversees the procedure for elections in Singapore, including parliamentary elections and presidential elections. It sees that elections are fairly carried out and has a supervisory role to safeguard against electoral fraud. It has the power to create constituencies and redistrict them, with the justification of preventing malapportionment.
History
The elections department was established under the Chief Secretary's Office in 1947 when Singapore was a British Crown Colony. The department was subsequently placed under the Ministry of Home Affairs, followed by the Deputy Prime Minister's Office, and is currently under the Prime Minister's Office. In 2003, the Department was expanded to include the Registry of Political Donations.| Year | Office Location | Operated Under | Key Milestone |
| 1947 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Colonial Secretary's Office | |
| 1948 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Colonial Secretary's Office | City Council Election |
| 1952 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Colonial Secretary's Office | |
| 1952 | Singapore Improvement Trust Building Mansoor Street ' | Colonial Secretary's Office | |
| 1953 | Singapore Improvement Trust Building Mansoor Street ' | Colonial Secretary's Office | |
| 1953 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Colonial Secretary's Office | |
| 1955 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Colonial Secretary's Office | First Legislative Assembly General Election |
| 1955 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Chief Secretary's Office | First Legislative Assembly General Election |
| 1957 | Fullerton Building Fullerton Square Today's Fullerton Hotel | Chief Secretary's Office | |
| 1957 | Fort Canning Fort Canning Rise | Chief Secretary's Office | |
| 1959 | Fort Canning Fort Canning Rise | Chief Secretary's Office | |
| 1959 | Fort Canning Fort Canning Rise | Ministry of Home Affairs | |
| 1962 | Fort Canning Fort Canning Rise | Ministry of Home Affairs | |
| 1962 | Empress Place Building Empress Place Today's Asian Civilisations Museum | Deputy Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1965 | Empress Place Building Empress Place Today's Asian Civilisations Museum | Deputy Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1965 | Elections Department Building Halifax Road | Deputy Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1968 | Elections Department Building Halifax Road | Deputy Prime Minister's Office | First Parliamentary General Election |
| 1968 | Elections Department Building Halifax Road | Prime Minister's Office | First Parliamentary General Election |
| 1970 | Elections Department Building Halifax Road | Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1970 | City Hall St. Andrew Road Today's National Gallery Singapore | Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1987 | City Hall St. Andrew Road Today's National Gallery Singapore | Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1987 | Treasury Building Shenton Way Today's Temasek Tower | Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1993 | Treasury Building Shenton Way Today's Temasek Tower | Prime Minister's Office | First Presidential Election |
| 1994 | Treasury Building Shenton Way Today's Temasek Tower | Prime Minister's Office | |
| 1994 | Elections Department Building Prinsep Link | Prime Minister's Office |
Responsibilities
Presidential and parliamentary elections
The department is responsible for the preparation and management of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections and any national referendum in Singapore. Although the President of Singapore has the authority to create group representation constituencies from several electoral wards, the Elections Department is generally the government authority which advises the President on which constituencies are created, and which constituencies are redistricted.Political Donations Act
The ELD has under its purview the Registry of Political Donations since 2003. It is responsible for the administration of the Political Donations Act and campaign spending rules. The main objective of RPD is to prevent foreign funding and potential interference in the domestic politics of Singapore.Registry of Electors
Between elections, ELD must ensure that the registers of electors are kept up-to-date. Other responsibilities include the training of election officials, logistical management of election events, informing the public about the electoral system and voting processes and ensuring that all electors have access to the electoral system and voting processes.Other responsibilities
The ELF provides secretariat support to the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee and election committees such as the Presidential Elections Committee and the Community Committee.ELD is also responsible for:
- Training election officials,
- Planning for election manpower, premises, logistical and other related requirements for the conduct of elections
- Informing the public about the electoral system and voting processes
- Ensuring all electors have access to the electoral system and voting processes
- Administering the Political Donations Act and campaign spending rules
Organisation
Senior Leadership
The senior members of the Elections Department are:- Mr Koh Siong Ling, Head
- Mr Ong Chun Kiat, Deputy Head
- Mr Ang Boon Chin, Deputy Head
Policy and Planning
- Ms Florence Tan, Director
- Ms Niki Leong, Senior Manager
- Mr Ian Tan, Senior Manager
Human Resource
- Ms Koh Seow Yab, Senior Manager
Administration and Finance
- Ms Vivien Goh, Senior Assistant Director
Political Donations and Communications
- Ms Tay Chai Luan, Senior Assistant Director
- Mr Ambrose Leow, Assistant Director
- Ms Ng Hui Peng, Senior Manager
- Ms Joyce Kow, Senior Manager
- Ms Dorothy Koh, Assistant Manager
- Mr Gerry Gewi, Assistant Manager
Manpower and Training
- Ms Joanne Lee, Assistant Director
- Mr Lawrence Ang, Assistant Director
- Ms Teo Shu Huei, Senior Manager
- Mr Heng Tze Wee, Senior Manager
Logistics and Technology
- Mr Simon Khoo, Director
- Mr Chan Wee Chin, Senior Assistant Director
- Mr Chen Yile, Senior Assistant Director
- Ms Gillian Chia, Assistant Director
- Ms Chu Lay Koon, Senior Manager
- Mr Chua Kim Choon, Manager
- Mr Kenny Cheong, Manager
Projects
- Mr Christopher Han, Senior Manager
Quality Service
- Ms Tay Chai Luan, Quality Service Manager
Registry of Political Donations
- Mr Koh Siong Ling, Registrar
- Mr Ong Chun Kiat, Deputy Registrar
- Ms Florence Tan, Assistant Registrar
- Mr Ambrose Leow, Assistant Registrar
- Ms Ng Hui Peng, Assistant Registrar
- Ms Vanessa Lee, Management Support Executive
Controversy
Singapore Elections Department is a branch under the Prime Minister's Office. The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee is appointed by the Prime Minister; the committee includes a mix of top civil servants and is chaired by the secretary to the Prime Minister. The committee is responsible for the drawing of polling districts and polling sites with pinpoint precision before every election, without the need for Parliamentary approval. Under section 8 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the incumbent Prime Minister may, "from time to time, by notification in the Gazette, specify the names and boundaries of the electoral divisions of Singapore for purposes of elections under this Act".
The absence of an independent electoral commission to manage elections is a subject that has been brought up by many opposition parties. This, the opposition argues, leads to intentional carrying out of gerrymandering on behalf of the PAP, like in the cases of Cheng San GRC and Eunos GRC being redrawn into other constituencies, or single-member-constituencies such as Joo Chiat SMC being absorbed into bigger GRCs after close electoral fights. It is unlike an Electoral Commission in most other Commonwealth countries which is clearly independent of the ruling government. The redrawing of GRCs shortly before each election has been mocked on a widespread basis on social media, satirical and socio-political websites, as well as in theatre.