Reasons for 45% of Total Postal Votes Being Rejected for Counting at 2025 General Election

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the reasons that led to 2,734 postal votes or 45% of the total postal votes of 6,097 received in Singapore being rejected for counting at the 2025 General Election; (b) whether the Elections Department is reviewing how such a high attrition rate can be reduced.

At the General Election 2025, 45% of the postal voting return envelopes containing postal ballot papers which reached the Returning Officer in time, that is, by the 10th day after Polling Day, were rejected for counting due to (a) faint, illegible, or missing postmarks; (b) mismatched specimen and wet-ink signature; and (c) torn or opened return envelopes. Before each postal voting return envelope is rejected, it would be shown to the candidates and counting agents present and the reason for rejection would also be pointed out to them.

To reduce the attrition rate, the Elections Department will continue to strengthen its outreach efforts ahead of the next election, to educate postal voters on what to do to better ensure that their postal ballot papers reach Singapore in time and be accepted for counting. These include ensuring that postal voters use the same signature as that presented as their specimen signature and posting their postal ballot papers early. To minimise the problem of missing postmarks, even though the postal voting return envelope is pre-paid, postal voters may wish to affix a postage stamp. This is because postal service operators are more likely to postmark postage stamps on the envelopes to prevent their reuse. Postal voters can also consider using express airmail services to have greater assurance of the proper delivery of their postal voting return envelopes.