Postal Ballots Received from Overseas Voters after 11 September 2023 Deadline
Prime Minister's OfficeSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the volume of overseas postal ballots received after the 11 September 2023 deadline and potential delivery improvements. Ms He Ting Ru asked about late ballot statistics and if using embassies for couriering could reduce delivery variances. Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing stated that 2,263 out of 3,432 registered postal ballots arrived by the deadline, with 267 more arriving by 18 September, including 83 postmarked before 1 September. He noted the Elections Department will study the embassy proposal but highlighted risks like postal delays and illegible postmarks. Consequently, voters are encouraged to mail ballots early and directly to Singapore to ensure they are counted.
Transcript
2 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Prime Minister (a) how many postal ballots from overseas voters have been received after the deadline of 11 September 2023; (b) how many late arriving ballots have been postmarked before 1 September 2023; and (c) whether the ELD will consider having ballots delivered to appropriate embassies and consulates before being couriered back to Singapore for counting to reduce delivery time variances.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): For Presidential Election 2023, overseas postal voters were able to download the postal ballot papers from 23 August 2023. For a voter’s ballot paper to be accepted for counting, the return envelope containing the ballot paper should be postmarked on or before 31 August 2023 and reach the Returning Officer in Singapore no later than 11 September 2023, the 10th day after Polling Day in Singapore. There were 3,432 registered overseas postal voters. The Elections Department (ELD) received 2,263 return envelopes as at the deadline of 11 September 2023.
As at 18 September 2023, that is, seven days after the deadline of 11 September 2023, an additional 267 return envelopes were received, of which, 83 were postmarked before 1 September 2023.
ELD will study the Member’s suggestion for the postal votes to be delivered to Singapore embassies or consulates and then couriered back to Singapore. However, this method will still be subject to the vagaries of postal delivery times in the respective countries, as well as the problem of faint, illegible or missing postmarks.
This is why, in our various outreach to postal voters, we have encouraged them to mail their return envelopes early and directly back to Singapore so that the return envelopes have the best chance of reaching Singapore by the deadline to be accepted for counting.