Thread by @kixes

THREAD

I’ve voted in #GE2020 and also spent the morning as a polling agent. Some points I’d like to draw people’s attention to:

The self-inking pens mark a cross in red. The one I used was just fine. They absolutely do not use invisible ink. If you are in doubt, bring your own pen. #GE2020

All parties contesting that constituency are allowed to have polling agents in the polling station to observe proceedings. #GE2020

PAP polling agents (up to 3 per station) will have a copy of the register of voters, and will cross names and serial numbers out as the presiding officers read them out.

Opposition parties don’t tend to do this; some choose not to cos they think it intimidates voters. #GE2020

This is superfluous since identity checks have already been conducted, and could have the effect of intimidating voters by making one feel like one is being tracked (concerns about voter secrecy are still relevant in #Singapore), but it is allowed. #GE2020

What is NOT allowed is for the polling agent to ask the presiding officer to repeat the serial numbers if they failed to catch them the first time. #GE2020

This was what the second batch of PAP polling agents in my polling station were doing. If they didn’t catch the number the first time, they would call across to the presiding officer to ask them to repeat the number again. #GE2020

I don’t want to prescribe intentions, but it could come across as intimidating because it further emphasises to voters that someone is keeping track of serial numbers. #GE2020

For people who are already nervous about whether the vote is truly secret (it is, but there are many Singaporeans who are still anxious), this could have an impact on their decision. #GE2020

I didn’t realise at first that asking the presiding officer to repeat the serial number was not allowed. It was only after I had left the polling station that I discovered this. #GE2020

When I found out, I decided to call the ELD hotline to report the situation. But when I told the customer service officer, they told me that this was allowed. So I went back to check again and found it written in black-and-white in the rules here: eld.gov.sg/pdf/GE2020/Gui… #GE2020

I called the ELD hotline again. This time, another customer service officer seemed unsure, put me on hold for a bit, then gave me another number to call. I called that number but it rang and rang and no one answered. #GE2020

Finally I decided to just walk back to my polling station where I managed to speak to the Assistant Returning Officer who assured me that he will remind the presiding officers not to repeat the serial numbers. #GE2020

I told him it can seem quite intimidating when the polling agents ask them to repeat these numbers. The ARO agreed with me and again assured me he would remind the officers, so I left. I hope it’s going better now at the polling station. #GE2020

I’m sharing this experience because I learnt something from it, and I suspect many people might not be aware of the rules too. #GE2020

If you see polling agents (of any party) asking presiding officers to repeat serial numbers, you are absolutely entitled to tell them stop doing that. Even if you aren’t a polling agent, as a voter you are entitled to point out that this behaviour is not allowed. #GE2020

When voters are informed of the rules and actively exercise our right to uphold them, we can act as checks and balances for one another (after all, anyone could make a mistake, miss something, or forget a rule) and protect the integrity of this democratic process 🗳! #GE2020