- Joined
- Sep 7, 2008
- Messages
- 1,460
- Points
- 0
THE Elections Department has started preparations for the next general election, which is due at the latest by Feb 2, 2012.
It has identified 28,000 civil servants to become election officials, and has begun sending letters out to them.
Replying to queries from the Straits Times, a spokesman for the Elections Department confirmed that it started sending out the letters last month. These letters notify the public officers of their selection as election officials and the training they will undergo.
Officials will be given one of seven roles, ranging from the highest position of returning officer, who is overall in charge of organisation at a polling station, to counting assistants who tally up votes.
Training covers election laws, the electoral and voting procedures, and the handling of voting queues and issues on Polling Day, such as voters who turn up without proper identification.
Although 28,000 public servants are being called up, the actual number deployed will depend on the number of contested constituencies.
The spokesman added that prior to 2004, election officials were called up for training only after the writ to dissolve Parliament was issued by the President.
By law, Nomination Day has to be at be least five working days after the writ is issued.
In 2004, the Elections Department decided to call up civil servants for training much earlier.
In November that year - three years after the 2001 election - it sent notices to 20,000 civil servants to call them up for training.
The General Election was held eventually in May 2006.
The Elections Department spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that some schools have been designated as polling stations for the next election.
'Such routine activities are part of our efforts to enhance service delivery,' she added.
Asked if the plans were an indicator of an early election, the spokesman said no.
Nevertheless, the moves by the Elections Department have sparked speculation that a snap election may be on the cards.
At a dialogue with young Singaporeans two weeks ago, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in response to a question whether polls could be held ahead of the 2012 deadline, said it was possible.
[email protected]
It has identified 28,000 civil servants to become election officials, and has begun sending letters out to them.
Replying to queries from the Straits Times, a spokesman for the Elections Department confirmed that it started sending out the letters last month. These letters notify the public officers of their selection as election officials and the training they will undergo.
Officials will be given one of seven roles, ranging from the highest position of returning officer, who is overall in charge of organisation at a polling station, to counting assistants who tally up votes.
Training covers election laws, the electoral and voting procedures, and the handling of voting queues and issues on Polling Day, such as voters who turn up without proper identification.
Although 28,000 public servants are being called up, the actual number deployed will depend on the number of contested constituencies.
The spokesman added that prior to 2004, election officials were called up for training only after the writ to dissolve Parliament was issued by the President.
By law, Nomination Day has to be at be least five working days after the writ is issued.
In 2004, the Elections Department decided to call up civil servants for training much earlier.
In November that year - three years after the 2001 election - it sent notices to 20,000 civil servants to call them up for training.
The General Election was held eventually in May 2006.
The Elections Department spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that some schools have been designated as polling stations for the next election.
'Such routine activities are part of our efforts to enhance service delivery,' she added.
Asked if the plans were an indicator of an early election, the spokesman said no.
Nevertheless, the moves by the Elections Department have sparked speculation that a snap election may be on the cards.
At a dialogue with young Singaporeans two weeks ago, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in response to a question whether polls could be held ahead of the 2012 deadline, said it was possible.
[email protected]
