Self-inking pens, prototype polling booths among changes for Singapore's next general election

[kobayashiGT]

Self-inking pens, prototype polling booths among changes for Singapore's next general election

source: https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/self-inking-pens-prototype-polling-booths-among-changes-for-singapores-next-general?xtor=CS3-18&utm_source=STiPhone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2019-11-29 15%3A11%3A25

SINGAPORE - The Elections Department (ELD) will introduce a number of changes in the upcoming polls, including self-inking pens and new polling booths.

Candidates will also be able to fill in most of the required paperwork online. These include appointing their election agents, paying their election deposits, and preparing their nomination papers.

However, hard copies of nomination papers must still be submitted on Nomination Day.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee was convened in August, marking the first step towards the next general election, which must be held by April 2021.

In the past three general elections under Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the period between the announcement of the committee's formation and Polling Day has ranged between two and six months.

The new self-inking pens, which have been used in countries such as South Korea, allow voters to stamp an "X" for the party of their choice with minimal pressure.

The ELD said it made the decision to change the pens provided after feedback that some older voters had difficulty gripping regular pens to cast their votes.

Voters in certain constituencies will also see prototype polling booths made largely from cardboard and other recyclable materials.

Designed by students from the Singapore Institute of Technology, the new booths cost $30 each. In comparison, the old booths, which are used for around 12 years before being replaced, cost about $750.

 

The ELD will hold roadshows ahead of the next general election to familiarise voters with the new equipment.

The latest changes come on the back of an announcement by the ELD last year, in which it said voters will be able to register electronically at polling stations and have their votes tallied by counting machines.

However, hard copy ballot papers will continue to be used, and counting assistants will still handle the mixing, unfolding and sorting of the papers

The department will also organise sessions for political party representatives to try out the new digital services and provide feedback.

However, the actual system will be open for use only after the Writ of Election has been issued for security reasons.

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[Ash2017]

KobayashiGT

if at polling day do everything correctly, got hagen daz ice cream as reward

[Kyrios]

Whatever...my mind has been made up already...

[Philipkee]

Making an irrelevant comment.  But here goes.

I was a counting agent for the opposition in one GE and in one PE. One thing to say.

A lot of people either do not know how to vote or they dont care.  Hence, the need for the pens, especially the part with the 'x'

Instructions are simple.  Put the x in the box next to the candidate of your choice.  Simple, right?

Some people will write FU in the box next to PAP - this can be counted as a vote for PAP.

Some people put cross on both boxes - spoilt vote.

Some people put a cross covering both candidate boxes - not necessarily a spoilt vote cos if the centre of the cross falls in one box, let's say the box for PAP candidate, it's considered a vote for PAP even though the cross covers both boxes.  It's where the centre of the cross falls that's important.

And of cos blank votes.

Generally, at least now when even opposition parties have volunteers as counting and polling agents, spoilt votes are really spoilt votes and not a conspiracy.   And of cos sometimes I wonder is it people really don't know how to vote.  Anyway, they come up with this pen.  Hope things get better.

[Angcheek]

for what use lel ........... all votes are tracked pls .  anyway I think they misprinted the title 

Self-inking pen,is, prototype polling booths among changes for Singapore's next general election

[Philipkee]

1 hour ago, Angcheek said:

for what use lel ........... all votes are tracked pls .  anyway I think they misprinted the title 

Self-inking pen,is, prototype polling booths among changes for Singapore's next general election

Your vote is secret.  A long as you dont tell people who you vote for, its secret.  The votes are slotted into boxes.  Each  box represents an area.  E.g  a group of blocks.  So unless it is 100% one way, no one knows how you vote.  What they can know is this particular area is pro oppo or pro PAP but not how any particular voter voted. 

There are people who say the serial number can trace the voter.  In theory, yes.  But you see, someone would have to get all the votes who voted for oppo, and then match it against those in the electoral register.  It's a very tedious process and for what purpose? Let's say they trace to tan ah kow who voted oppo. They will need to then look at tan ah kow, what job he is in, can block promotion if he is in civil service....  its gonna be very tedious and not going to yield any benefit.

AND with the rise of social media, the moment there is one case where the G tried to trace the vote, there will be a big hoo haa.  Notice that no matter how vocal the opposition parties are, no one has ever said the vote is not secret?

So your vote is secret.  Vote freely.

Sometimes I think I know why Singaporeans like to say the vote is not secret.  So that they can safely say they have no choice but to vote for the G. So anything happens it's not their responsibility.  Cos the vote was not secret and they had no choice.

[Angcheek]

28 minutes ago, Philipkee said:

Your vote is secret.  A long as you dont tell people who you vote for, its secret.  The votes are slotted into boxes.  Each  box represents an area.  E.g  a group of blocks.  So unless it is 100% one way, no one knows how you vote.  What they can know is this particular area is pro oppo or pro PAP but not how any particular voter voted. 

There are people who say the serial number can trace the voter.  In theory, yes.  But you see, someone would have to get all the votes who voted for oppo, and then match it against those in the electoral register.  It's a very tedious process and for what purpose? Let's say they trace to tan ah kow who voted oppo. They will need to then look at tan ah kow, what job he is in, can block promotion if he is in civil service....  its gonna be very tedious and not going to yield any benefit.

AND with the rise of social media, the moment there is one case where the G tried to trace the vote, there will be a big hoo haa.  Notice that no matter how vocal the opposition parties are, no one has ever said the vote is not secret?

So your vote is secret.  Vote freely.

Sometimes I think I know why Singaporeans like to say the vote is not secret.  So that they can safely say they have no choice but to vote for the G. So anything happens it's not their responsibility.  Cos the vote was not secret and they had no choice.

I loved Freedom .... 😀 but I also feel freedom must come with responsibility .

Can trace or not , doesnt matter much now . Always can dilute with new citizens .

that is a cheaper way to solve the problem 😁