The Elections Department (ELD) on July 1 announced that keeping in mind health safeguard for the upcoming Singapore general elections, they have decided that COVID-19 patients and those on Quarantine Order (QO) will not be allowed to vote.
“The number of voters in these two groups is about 350 as of 30 June 2020,” said a statement by the ELD.
For voters who are under Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at home, on medical certificate (MC) for Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), or have fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius and above, the Ministry of Health has advised that they should remain at home.
Instead, in order for them to exercise their voting rights, a special voting hour between 7 pm and 8 pm has been allotted for these voters to vote.
As of 30 June 2020, there are about 360 voters under SHN at home.
“Such voters should take precautions when travelling to their assigned polling stations, such as by not taking public transport, going directly to the polling station and returning home immediately after voting, maintaining safe distancing, as well as wearing a mask at all times,” said the ELD.
During the special voting hour polling stations will be manned by a smaller team of election officials, who will also take additional precautions, including wearing full personal protective equipment and sanitising polling equipment and contact surfaces after every voter’s use.
The ELD has also advised voters who are well to avoid the special voting hour.
Those on SHN at designated facilities will be allowed to vote at the designated facilities away from other voters.
The ELD also said that those who are unable to vote because they are unwell can apply for their names to be restored to the Registers of Electors after the election without penalty.
The names of COVID-19 patients and those on QO or SHN for COVID-19 will be auto-restored to the registers after the election without penalty.