Singapore Elections LIVE: 82% voter turnout as PM Wong’s PAP seeks fresh mandate

May 3, 2025, 17:44:07 (IST)

Polls closed Saturday in an election where Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong faces his first major test against a rejuvenated opposition in uncertain economic times for the trade-centred nation.

Wong’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) is expected to easily retain a clear majority in parliament but its dominance is increasingly being challenged by a more vocal electorate.

The last time we received an update from authorities, about 82 per cent of eligible voters had cast their votes. In Singapore, voting is mandatory and high turnout is usual.

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May 3, 2025, 17:13:47 (IST)

May 3, 2025, 16:33:49 (IST)

There’s only an hour remaining for people to vote.

Previously, the Elections Department had advised Singaporeans to vote at their own pace, and to try to avoid a surge of voters right before the polls closed.

May 3, 2025, 15:43:31 (IST)

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam arrived at Nanyang Girls’ High School around 5.30pm to vote. He was joined by his wife, Ms Jane Ittogi.

May 3, 2025, 15:00:55 (IST)

By 5pm, about 82 per cent of eligible voters in Singapore had cast their votes, according to the Elections Department (ELD).

A total of 2,164,593 people voted out of the 2,627,026 eligible voters in contested areas.

May 3, 2025, 14:09:08 (IST)

Aneetha Dhillon, 27, and her husband had to adjust their wedding plans slightly to fulfil their civic duty — by voting at different constituencies on their wedding day.

Aneetha, who voted in Jurong Central SMC, said the wedding had been planned for nearly a year. When asked how she felt after learning Polling Day would fall on May 3, she said:
“Honestly, it was quite shocking, because we had planned this wedding for almost a year. But we managed everything well, even with the small hiccups. So, yes, it still went smoothly.”

She showed up at her polling station in a “Kate Middleton-inspired” wedding gown that weighed around 12kg.
“I think it’s 12kg, yes, and I have to work here,” she laughed.

Her husband cast his vote separately in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

May 3, 2025, 13:43:47 (IST)

Singaporeans voted on Saturday in an election expected to extend the People’s Action Party’s long rule, as the country faces economic uncertainty from a global trade war.

The vote is seen as a test of support for the new Prime Minister and a measure of how popular the PAP remains. While the party has ruled since before independence in 1965, many are watching to see if the opposition can build on the small but historic gains it made in the last election.

May 3, 2025, 13:14:34 (IST)

The first Singaporeans to vote in the 2025 General Election were those living overseas, starting with voters in Dubai, followed by London.

Singaporeans in the United States were next, voting at three stations in Washington, New York, and San Francisco.

Overseas polling began at 8 am local time on May 2 at each mission.

By law, overseas polls must close by 8 pm Singapore time on Polling Day, so voting in some countries had to start a day earlier than in Singapore.

The other five overseas polling stations, in Beijing, Canberra, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo, will open at 8am local time on May 3.

Out of 2,758,846 registered voters, 18,389 Singaporeans have signed up to vote from overseas. About 8,630 of them will vote in person, while the rest will vote by post.

May 3, 2025, 12:49:55 (IST)

The election is an important test for new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as the long-ruling People’s Action Party aims to keep its hold on power and gain wider public support.

He assumed office in May 2024 following Lee Hsien Loong’s resignation.

The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since the nation’s independence in 1965, is widely expected to retain its dominance. However, the focus is on the margin of victory, which is seen as a barometer of public sentiment and the strength of the government’s mandate moving forward.

May 3, 2025, 12:09:03 (IST)

In Singapore’s 2025 general election, the main focus is not on whether the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) will win, its victory is widely assumed, but on the margin of that victory.

This margin is viewed as a key indicator of public sentiment and a measure of the government’s mandate going forward.

Under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership, the PAP is seeking a strong mandate to tackle major issues such as economic uncertainty, the rising cost of living, and housing shortages. A notable drop in the PAP’s vote share could reflect a growing appetite for political diversity and potentially shape future policy decisions.

The Workers’ Party (WP) is watching the results closely, as any increase in its parliamentary presence could strengthen its role in holding the government to account. The PAP is contesting all 92 seats, while its main challenger, the WP, is fielding candidates in 26 constituencies.

May 3, 2025, 10:57:03 (IST)

May 3, 2025, 10:15:36 (IST)

Pritam Singh has been the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party (WP) since 2018 and serves as the key Leader of the Opposition in Singapore’s Parliament, which has been dominated by the PAP since the island nation’s independence. Singh has represented the Eunos division of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since 2011.

Singh is of Punjabi descent and a practicing Sikh. He is married to Loveleen Kaur Walia, a Singaporean theatre practitioner, and they have two daughters.

Singh  has been found guilty of two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee, a verdict that may affect his political future ahead.

The 48-year-old politician was convicted by Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan, who ruled that Singh gave false evidence to the Committee of Privileges (COP) in 2021. The case was linked to a false statement made in Parliament by former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan.

He became Singapore’s first official Leader of the Opposition in 2020 after the Workers’ Party won 10 seats in Parliament, the most ever for an opposition party.

Singh studied history at the National University of Singapore, graduating in 2000. He later earned a master’s degree in war studies from King’s College London on a Chevening Scholarship.

May 3, 2025, 09:49:34 (IST)

You must vote in person and only at the polling station listed on your poll card or ePoll card.

If your constituency is being contested, you should have received your poll card by post within two to three working days after Nomination Day on April 23. The card would have been sent to your latest address registered with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Voters can use the Singpass mobile app to access their ePoll card, which works the same as the physical poll card.

If eligible voters do not vote, their names will be removed from the Registers of Electors, but they can apply to be added back after the election.

Remember to bring your poll card (or ePoll card on Singpass) and original ID, like your NRIC or passport, to the polling station. Photocopies are not allowed.

May 3, 2025, 09:39:58 (IST)

May 3, 2025, 09:33:37 (IST)

The main opposition party is the Workers’ Party (WP), led by Pritam Singh, who became Singapore’s first official Leader of the Opposition after the 2020 election.

The WP has made steady progress over the years but is contesting only 26 seats this time, less than a third of the total, due to limited resources and a divided opposition.

Nine smaller parties and two independent candidates are also in the race, all aiming to reduce the PAP’s long-held dominance. Singh has said that even if the WP wins all 26 seats, it wouldn’t threaten the government but would help strengthen democratic checks and balances.

May 3, 2025, 09:10:06 (IST)

With the risk of US tariffs and a weakening global economy, Singapore faces a growing chance of falling into recession.

In 2024, international bank Julius Baer named Singapore the world’s most expensive city to live in for the second year in a row.

May 3, 2025, 08:44:48 (IST)

The opposition has focused its campaign on