Presidential Election in Singapore

In Singapore , our current President, His Honourable Excellency Mr. S R Nathan is going to retire from the President Post. Thus, we are currently going to have our Presedential elections. Presedential election is an election where Singaporeans vote for their President for the next 10 or so years. This year, Presedential election is held on the 27 Aug 2011. As for this year,the 27th of Aug falls on a Saturday. In Singapore, all polling days are a public holiday so as to allow all Singaporeans to have their time to vote. In Singapore, as I mentioned before, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday,the following Monday is a school holiday.So, as for the Presedential Elections, it is held on a Saturday, the 27 Aug 2011. Therefore, the following Monday, the 29 Aug 2011, is a School Holiday. The Singapore Elections Department (SED) uses schools and Community Centres (CCs) as polling stations for the respective districts. Those schools which are being used as polling stations have been informed earlier already. Therefore, the SED orders all staff and students of those schools to clear the school permises by 2pm on the afternoon of 26 Aug 2011, Friday. After which, the Principal of the school has to ensure that all his/her staff and students have cleared the school permises before handing the school over to the Singapore Election Department(SED) Authorities.

Voting procedures will be quite similar to the procedures for the previous PM (Prime Minister) elections held earlier this year. (Please refer to my blogs posted earlier this year). Just to recap, A polling card will be sent to each Voter's home.
That polling card will contain his/her name, NRIC No., Polling verification No. and the polling station he/she is supposed to report to on the 27 Aug 2011. All polling stations will be open from 9am on the 27 Aug 2011 to 6pm on the 27 Aug 2011. Voters are free to visit their designated polling stations to cast their votes between 9am and 6pm on the 27 Aug 2011. Police officers will be on duty at all the entrances of each polling station to verify the identity of people entering the polling stations. This is to ensure that no one enters the polling stations without having the permission to vote. When the person enters the polling station, police officers on duty inside the stations will ensure that the poller does not use any electronic devices when inside the station. This is to ensure that everyone`s vote is confidential. Each voter will be given a paper containing all the names of the parties standing for the Presedential Elections 2011. The voter is given a seal.

He/she is required to chop the seal on the name of the candidate he/she wishes to vote for. Special assistance will be rendered to disabled people entering the stations. After which, the poller is required to seal his poll card tightly and drop it into a box placed at the exit of the polling station. After which , he/she is required to leave the polling stations Immediately. The results of the election will be released via media like Television(TV), Radio(FM)etc. by 3am the next morning.
This is the whole procedure for Presedential Elections in Singapore. I have also included photos of candidates standing for the Presedential Elections 2011 in Singapore.

In Singapore, its compulsory that all Singapore Citizens cast their votes for any elections held. Anyone who does not adhere to this law without relevant excuse will be barred from voting at future Elections held in Singapore.

Credits: Google, Google Images, Singapore Elections Department