Singaporeans on non-voter list can apply to restore names to Register of Electors from Nov 10
Singaporeans can also check their particulars and voter status via the Singpass app or the Elections Department's website.
SINGAPORE: Singaporeans placed on the non-voter list will be able to apply to restore their names to the Registers of Electors from Friday (Nov 10), said the Elections Department (ELD).
In a press release on Thursday, ELD said the names of the eligible voters who failed to cast their votes at the 2023 Presidential Election have been removed from the registers, in accordance with the Presidential Elections Act.
"To be able to vote at the next election, ELD would like to invite non-voters to apply to restore their names to the Registers of Electors."
Starting from Friday, Singaporeans will be able to check their particulars and their voter status on the Singpass app and under Voter Services on the ELD website, and also to apply to restore their names to the registers.
They can also check their voter status and restore their names at community centres or clubs and ServiceSG centres near their homes, or at the ELD office by making an e-appointment via its website or call 1800 225 5353.
Overseas Singaporeans may do so at Singapore overseas missions serving as overseas registration centres.
Additionally, those who did not vote in the Presidential Election or the General Election (GE) in 2020 will receive a letter from ELD and a message via the Singpass app inbox to invite them to restore their names to the registers.
Non-voters who wish to restore their names are encouraged to do so early so that they can vote at the next election, said ELD.
Under the law, ELD will not be able to restore their names during the period from the date the Writ for an election is issued, until after Nomination Day if the election is not contested or until after Polling Day if a poll is to be taken.
In September, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing said more than 1,000 Singaporeans were restored to the registers, after they were erroneously put on the non-voter list despite having cast their ballots at the last polls.
After the Writ of Election was issued and up to Polling Day on Sep 1, there were 1,093 Singaporeans who informed ELD that they did not receive their poll cards, despite having voting in 2020, Mr Chan said in a written reply to parliamentary questions on Sep 18.
This was an increase from the 200 or so reported on Aug 24.
The "most probable cause" of the error was that the NRIC details of the affected voters had not been captured properly by an electronic registration system only introduced in the 2020 GE, said Mr Chan.
In Singapore, voting in elections is compulsory for all who are eligible. All Singaporeans whose names are in the registers have to cast their ballots on Polling Day, according to the ELD website.
Those who fail to do so will have their names removed from the registers after the election. They can apply to have their names restored so that they will be eligible to vote in future elections.
During the 2023 Presidential Election, there were a total of 2,709,407 electors, of which 2,534,711 electors cast their votes. About 174,000 electors did not cast their votes.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct the number of electors who cast their vote in the 2023 Presidential Election and the number of electors who did not do so. We apologise for the errors.