Division 1 — Overseas election officers
Application
3.  Section 36 of the Act (presiding officers) does not apply in relation to an overseas polling station.
Assignment of Assistant Returning Officer
4.—(1)  Subject to regulation 6, the Returning Officer must assign an Assistant Returning Officer to each overseas polling station.
(2)  If at any time the Assistant Returning Officer for an overseas polling station becomes unable to act, he or she must —
(a)notify the Returning Officer without delay; and
(b)appoint a presiding officer for that overseas polling station to act for him or her until an assignment is made under paragraph (3) or until he or she is again able to act.
(3)  After being notified under paragraph (2)(a), the Returning Officer must assign another Assistant Returning Officer to that overseas polling station.
(4)  A reference to an Assistant Returning Officer in this Part includes a reference to a presiding officer appointed under paragraph (2)(b) to act for an Assistant Returning Officer.
Assignment of presiding officers, etc.
5.—(1)  Subject to regulation 6, the Returning Officer must assign to each overseas polling station —
(a)one or more presiding officers; and
(b)one or more persons to be responsible for maintaining order within the overseas polling station.
(2)  If more than one presiding officer is assigned to an overseas polling station, the Returning Officer must appoint a senior presiding officer from among the presiding officers assigned to that overseas polling station.
(3)  If at any time a presiding officer for an overseas polling station becomes unable to act, he or she must —
(a)notify the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station without delay; and
(b)appoint another person to act for him or her until an assignment is made under paragraph (4) or until he or she is again able to act.
(4)  After being notified under paragraph (3)(a), the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station must assign another presiding officer to that overseas polling station.
(5)  Without affecting paragraph (3) or (4), if at any time a senior presiding officer for an overseas polling station becomes unable to act —
(a)the senior presiding officer must also appoint a senior presiding officer from among the presiding officers assigned to that overseas polling station until an appointment is made under sub‑paragraph (b) or until he or she is again able to act; and
(b)the Assistant Returning Officer must also appoint a senior presiding officer from among the presiding officers assigned to that overseas polling station.
(6)  A reference to a presiding officer in this Part includes a reference to a person appointed under paragraph (3)(b) to act for a presiding officer.
Persons who cannot be overseas election officers
6.  The following persons must not be appointed as, assigned as or authorised to be an overseas election officer:
(a)an Ambassador, High Commissioner, Consul‑General or Consul, who is not a public officer;
(b)a person who has served in Parliament in the session immediately before the election or in the session in progress at the time of the election;
(c)a person who is not a citizen of Singapore.
Duties of Assistant Returning Officer
7.  An Assistant Returning Officer for an overseas polling station —
(a)is responsible, under the general direction of the Returning Officer, for the preparation for and conduct of a poll at the overseas polling station; and
(b)may preside at the overseas polling station.
Duties of presiding officers
8.—(1)  A senior presiding officer for an overseas polling station must exercise general supervision over —
(a)all other presiding officers appointed or assigned to that overseas polling station; and
(b)all arrangements for the conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station.
(2)  A presiding officer for an overseas polling station under regulation 5(1)(a) must —
(a)keep order in the overseas polling station;
(b)regulate the number of voters to be admitted to that overseas polling station at a time;
(c)ensure that a person is excluded from that overseas polling station if the person is not authorised by the Act or these Regulations to be present during a poll at that overseas polling station;
(d)supervise the conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station; and
(e)keep the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station informed of any matter that adversely affects, or is likely to adversely affect, the orderly conduct of the poll at that overseas polling station.
(3)  A presiding officer for an overseas polling station must perform his or her duties in accordance with the general direction of the Assistant Returning Officer for that overseas polling station.
Oath of secrecy
9.—(1)  An overseas election officer for an overseas polling station must, before assuming duties at that overseas polling station, make an oath of secrecy in accordance with section 56(1) of the Act.
(2)  The Assistant Returning Officer for an overseas polling station must, after the notice of contested election is published in the Gazette, send his or her oath and the documents containing the oaths of every overseas election officer for that overseas polling station to the Returning Officer in Singapore.