Presidential Elections Act 1991
Table of Contents
Long Title
Part 1 PRELIMINARY
1 Short title
2 Interpretation
3 Appointment of Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officers
4 Appointment of clerks and interpreters
5 Appointment of acting Returning Officer
Part 1A COUNTING OF RESERVED ELECTIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF PRESIDENT
5A Reserved elections: how counted
5B Further provisions on community requirement
5C Further provisions on private sector service requirement
Part 2 ELECTIONS
Division 1 — Issuance of writ, etc.
6 Timing of poll and writ of election
7 Notice of time and place of election
7A Failure of election
Division 2 — Presidential Elections Committee and Certificate of Eligibility
8 Application for certificate of eligibility
8A Consideration of application
8B Time for deciding application
8C Certificate to be conclusive
8D Immunity of Presidential Elections Committee
Division 3 — Community Committee and Community Certificate
8E Establishment of Community Committee and Sub-Committees
8F Submission of community declaration
8G Consideration of community declaration in reserved elections
8H Consideration of community declaration in non‑reserved elections
8I Time for issuing community certificate, etc.
8J Decision to be final; certificate to be conclusive
8K Immunity of Community Committee and Sub-Committees
8L Procedure of Community Committee and Sub-Committees
Division 4 — Nomination Proceedings
9 Nomination papers
10 Deposits by candidates
11 Proceedings on nomination day
11A Amendment of nomination papers
12 Objections to nomination papers
13 Withdrawal of candidature
14 Persons entitled to be present during nomination proceedings
Division 5 — Uncontested Elections
15 Uncontested elections
Division 6 — Contested Elections
16 Contested elections
17 Polling day to be public holiday
18 Polling districts and polling stations
19 Presiding officers
20 Facilities to be provided at polling stations
21 Register of electors to be conclusive evidence of right to vote
22 Admittance to polling station
22A (Repealed)
23 Poll by ballot and ballot papers
23A Candidates’ photographs on ballot paper
24 Ballot boxes
25 Manner of voting
26 Compulsory voting
27 Declarations by voters
28 Spoilt ballot papers
29 Tendered votes
30 Closing of poll
30A Special polling arrangements to meet voting needs of certain voters
30B Voting at special polling station is in lieu of voting at ordinary voting station
30C Regulations relating to special polling arrangements
31 Procedure on closing of poll
31A Counting at counting places
32 Counting votes
32A (Repealed)
32B Recounting of votes
33 Votes to be rejected
33A Approval of DRE voting systems
33B Approval of DRE voting machines and equipment
33C Pre-poll testing of DRE voting system, etc.
33D DRE voting system procedures generally
34 Publication of result and statement of poll in Gazette
35 Failure to comply with provisions of this Act
36 Maintenance of secrecy at elections
Division 7 — Overseas Voting
36A Voting at overseas polling station
36B Postal voting by overseas electors designated as postal voters
36C Pre-count examination of postal voting papers
36D Counting of votes by overseas electors
36E Ascertaining final results
36F Regulations for voting in overseas polling stations and postal voting
36G Other offences connected with postal voting
Part 3 OFFENCES AND CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES
Division 1 — Offences
37 Offences
Division 2 — Corrupt Practices
38 Personation
39 Treating
40 Undue influence
41 Bribery
42 Punishment for corrupt practice
Division 2A — Election Advertising
Subdivision 1 Transparency and accountability requirements
42A Objects of this Division
42B Published-by requirements
42C Election advertising ban during cooling-off period
42D Exceptions to cooling-off period election advertising ban
Subdivision 2 Campaign controls for candidates
42E Online election advertising, etc., in campaign period
42F Traditional election advertising in campaign period
42G Maximum permissible number for traditional election advertising displayed
42H Permissible locations for traditional election advertising display
42I Restricted signage zone of polling station in Singapore
Subdivision 3 Controls on third party campaigning and foreigners
42J Unauthorised third party online election advertising
42K Unauthorised third party non-online election advertising
42L Ban on foreigners, etc., publishing or displaying election advertising
Subdivision 4 Supplementary provisions
42M Corrective directions for online election advertising
42N Removal and confiscation of traditional election advertising
42O Evidence
42P Defences
42Q Election advertising regulations
42R Supplementary interpretive provisions for election advertising controls
Division 3 — Election Agent, Election Expenses and Illegal Practices
43 Appointment of election agents
44 Person convicted of corrupt practice, etc., not to be appointed election agent
45 Making of contracts through election agent
46 Payment of expenses through election agent
47 Period for sending in claims and making payments for election expenses
48 Remuneration of election agent
49 Personal expenses of candidate and petty expenses
50 Expenses in excess of maximum to be illegal practice
51 Certain expenditure to be illegal practice
52 Plural voting
53 Use of motor vehicles at elections
54 Certain employment to be illegal
55 Saving for creditors
55A Post-election declaration by candidates
56 Return and declaration respecting election expenses
56A Corrections to returns respecting election expenses, etc.
57 Publication of receipt of return, etc.
58 Employers to allow employees reasonable period for voting
59 Badges, symbols, etc., prohibited on polling day and eve of polling day
60 (Repealed)
60AA (Repealed)
60A (Repealed)
60B Blackout period for election survey results
60C Exit polls ban on polling day
60D Defence for section 60B or 60C offence
61 Punishment for conviction for illegal practice
62 Prohibition of canvassing on polling day and eve of polling day
62A Restrictions on election meetings
63 Prohibition of dissuasion from voting
64 Undue influence at or near polling station
65 Persons prohibited from conducting election activity
66 Unlawful assembly
67 Offence to operate loudspeaker
Division 4 — Excuse for Corrupt and Illegal Practice
68 Report exonerating candidate in certain cases of corrupt and illegal practice by agents
69 Power of Election Judge to except innocent act from being illegal practice, etc.
69A Authorised excuse for non-compliance with section 55A
70 Authorised excuse for non-compliance with provisions as to return and declaration respecting election expenses
Part 4 GROUNDS FOR AVOIDING ELECTIONS
71 Application for avoidance of election on certain grounds
Part 5 APPLICATIONS FOR AVOIDANCE OF ELECTION
72 Powers of Election Judge
73 Who may make application under section 71
74 Relief which may be claimed
75 Certificate of Election Judge as to validity of election
76 Report of Election Judge as to corrupt or illegal practice
77 Time for making application
78 Prohibition of disclosure of vote
79 Votes to be struck off at scrutiny
80 Rejection of ballot paper by Returning Officer not to be questioned
Part 6 GENERAL
81 Regulations
81A Regulations relating to crisis management at election
81B Presentation to Parliament, etc.
82 Inaccurate description of persons and places
83 Publication of notices, etc.
83A Offences by corporations
83B Offences by unincorporated associations or partnerships
84 Composition of offences
85 Service of documents
Legislative History
Abbreviations
Comparative Table