PART 3
POSTAL VOTING METHOD
Forms of postal voting papers
23.—(1)  For the purposes of the Act —
(a)a postal ballot paper must —
(i)if it relates to an election in a group representation constituency — be in Form PV 1 in the Second Schedule; or
(ii)if it relates to an election in any other electoral division — be in Form PV 2 in the Second Schedule;
(b)a return envelope must be in Form PV 3 in the Second Schedule; and
(c)the QR code on a return envelope must comply with regulation 24(4).
(2)  Section 40(2), (3), (3A), (4) and (5) of the Act does not apply to or in relation to a postal ballot paper.
Postal elector number and QR code
24.—(1)  The Returning Officer must assign a postal elector number to each postal elector.
(2)  A postal elector number for a postal elector —
(a)must consist of numbers or letters or both; and
(b)must not include any personal information about the postal elector (such as his or her NRIC number) that could undermine voter secrecy.
(3)  The postal elector number of a postal elector must be embedded in the QR code on a return envelope issued to him or her.
(4)  The QR code must not contain any other information about the postal elector.
Prescribed website under section 56F(3)(b) of Act
25.  For the purposes of section 56F(3)(b) of the Act and regulations 26 and 27, the prescribed website is the Internet website of the Elections Department at https://www.eld.gov.sg.
Manner of application for and issue of postal voting papers in electronic form
26.—(1)  A postal elector may apply to the Returning Officer for postal voting papers to be issued to him or her in an electronic form, using the electronic system made available on the prescribed website.
(2)  An application under paragraph (1) may be made any time during the postal voting period of the election.
(3)  To make an application under paragraph (1), a postal elector must authenticate his or her identity on the prescribed website by using his or her Singpass credentials.
(4)  The postal elector is responsible for —
(a)downloading the postal ballot paper and return envelope issued to him or her in electronic form using the electronic system;
(b)printing the postal ballot paper on one side of a piece of paper; and
(c)printing the return envelope on one side of another piece of paper.
(5)  Subject to section 7 of the Act (plural voting), a postal elector may make more than one application under paragraph (1).
Manner of application for and issue of printed postal voting papers
27.—(1)  Instead of making an application under regulation 26, a postal elector may apply to the Returning Officer for postal voting papers to be issued to him or her by —
(a)sending an email to the email address of the Elections Department at contact@eld.gov.sg; or
(b)completing an application form made available on the prescribed website, and submitting the duly completed application form through the prescribed website.
(2)  An application under paragraph (1) must be made no later than 2 days after the date of issue of the writ of election.
(3)  Upon receiving an application under paragraph (1) and being satisfied that the applicant is a postal elector, the Returning Officer or a person acting under the authority of the Returning Officer must —
(a)issue printed postal voting papers to the applicant; and
(b)send the printed postal voting papers to the applicant by registered post or courier to his or her overseas correspondence address as at the date of the application.
(4)  An election is not invalid by reason that the postal or courier service of Singapore or any country or territory outside Singapore fails to deliver printed postal voting papers to a postal elector, or delays in delivering printed postal voting papers to a postal elector.
(5)  Subject to section 7 of the Act (plural voting), a postal elector who made an application under paragraph (1) is not precluded from making an application under regulation 26(1).
Procedure for postal voting method
28.—(1)  To record his or her vote using the postal voting method, a postal elector must use the postal ballot paper and return envelope issued to him or her (and no other documents) and comply with the following procedure:
(a)mark his or her vote on the postal ballot paper in the area demarcated on the postal ballot paper for that purpose;
(b)conceal his or her vote by folding the postal ballot paper in accordance with the instructions printed on the postal ballot paper;
(c)fold the return envelope in accordance with the instructions printed on it;
(d)insert the postal ballot paper into the return envelope and seal the return envelope;
(e)make and sign the declaration on the return envelope in the area demarcated on the return envelope for that purpose, with a signature that is substantially identical to the wet‑ink signature that he or she submitted to the Registration Officer under the Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Overseas Electors) Regulations 2023;
(f)post or deliver, or cause to be posted or delivered, before the end of the postal voting period, the sealed return envelope to the Returning Officer at the address indicated on the return envelope in accordance with section 56B(3)(d) of the Act.
(2)  A declaration under paragraph (1)(e) does not mean that the return envelope was posted or sent for delivery before the end of the postal voting period for the election.
(3)  To avoid doubt, section 42 of the Act (manner of voting) does not apply in relation to the postal voting method.
Receipt of delivery of return envelope by Returning Officer
29.—(1)  For the purposes of section 56B(3)(d) of the Act, the Returning Officer —
(a)may appoint one or more places in Singapore to receive deliveries of return envelopes; and
(b)must not receive any return envelope delivered after the end of the postal voting period.
(2)  Subject to paragraph (1), the date on which any return envelope containing, or purporting to contain, a postal ballot paper is delivered to and received by the Returning Officer in Singapore must be indicated on the return envelope.
(3)  To avoid doubt, this regulation does not apply in relation to the receipt of return envelopes that are posted.
Safe custody of all return envelopes, etc.
30.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), all papers that are or purport to be return envelopes containing the postal ballot papers for an election received by the Returning Officer —
(a)must be kept in safe custody and remain sealed; and
(b)must not be opened or tampered with before the pre‑count examination of postal voting papers under section 56C of the Act.
(2)  If the Returning Officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a return envelope contains harmful or hazardous substances, the Returning Officer must —
(a)open the return envelope for the purposes of examining the existence of the harmful or hazardous substances;
(b)record the result of the examination; and
(c)inform the following persons as soon as possible of the result:
(i)in the case of a general election and —
(A)if the Returning Officer is able to determine the electoral division to which the return envelope relates — the candidates in a contested election for the electoral division or their election agents;
(B)if sub‑paragraph (A) does not apply — all candidates in a contested election at the general election or their election agents;
(ii)in the case of a by‑election — all candidates in the by‑election or their election agents.
(3)  If a return envelope is opened in accordance with paragraph (2), any postal ballot paper contained in that return envelope must not be accepted for counting, regardless of the result of the examination.
(4)  If the return envelope contains harmful or hazardous substances, the return envelope (and any postal ballot paper inside) must be disposed of in a safe manner and in a manner that does not compromise voter secrecy.
(5)  If the return envelope does not contain harmful or hazardous substances, the return envelope (and any postal ballot paper inside) must be dealt with in the manner set out in section 56E(2) of the Act.