A civic duty: Singaporeans queuing to verify their identities and receive their ballots before casting their votes at the Singapore mission in New York. — The Straits Times/ANN
The first Singaporeans have begun voting in the 2025 general election, led by those based in Dubai, followed by Londoners.
Overseas Singaporeans living in the United States were third to begin voting at three polling stations in the country.
Polls opened at Singapore’s overseas missions in Dubai, London, Washington, New York and San Francisco at 8am in their respective time zones on Friday.
The rule is that overseas polls must close not later than the close of polls in Singapore, which is 8pm on Polling Day. Hence, voting at polling stations in some countries had to be held a day ahead of balloting in Singapore.
The other five overseas polling stations – in Beijing, Canberra, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo – opened their doors at 8am local time yesterday.
Some 18,389 Singaporeans – of the total number of 2,758,846 registered voters – are registered to vote overseas in this election. Of those, some 8,630 will vote in person, with the rest by post.
“We expect a turnout of 1,743 voters across the three overseas polling stations in the United States,” a spokesperson for the Elections Department said.
In the 2020 general election, a total of 4,794 registered overseas voters turned up at the designated overseas polling stations to cast their votes.
Of the 33 electoral divisions, the highest number of overseas voters are registered in Tanjong Pagar group representative constituency (GRC), at 1,703.
Sembawang West single member constituency (SMC), at 81, has the fewest.
The first to turn up to vote at Singapore’s New York mission was Celeste Chia, who walked in shortly after the polling station opened.
“It is a privilege to vote, and I believe it is important for everyone to do so,” said Chia, who works in a corporate office in New York.
She was casting her vote for the second time as an overseas Singaporean after voting in Shanghai five years ago.
Registered as a voter in Kebun Baru SMC, Chia first cast her ballot as a student in New York in 2015.
In Washington DC, Tan Lay Peng, who leads a finance team supporting infrastructure global practice clients at the World Bank, said on May 1 she was taking a half-day off work to vote for the first time in the general election.
“I am usually knee-deep in budgets, but I am trading spreadsheets for the ballot to fulfil my civic duty to cast my vote,” said Tan, who is in her 50s and was registered to vote in Jalan Besar GRC.
“Watching the rallies online, some of which feel like rock concerts, really brings home how far we’ve come. There’s a sense of energy and engagement that’s new and encouraging,” she said.
“While I’m physically away, my family and friends are all back home.
“So, I’m voting with the hope that Singapore continues to be a place of stability, opportunity and shared progress for everyone.” — The Straits Times/ANN
