Bill To Keep Voters Safe Amid Covid-19 Outbreak To Be Tabled In Parliament, Could Mean Elections Are Coming

Singapore Elections Bill Will Be Tabled In Parliament Next Week

Even as the Covid-19 outbreak continues to escalate in Singapore, rumours of an impending election are showing no signs of going away.

Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong did not rule out the possibility of such a situation when asked about it late last month.

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On Friday (3 Apr), Singaporeans got yet another hint that elections might actually take place amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Government will reportedly table a Bill next week so a general election (GE) can still go on even if the coronavirus outbreak is in full swing, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

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New Singapore elections Bill will allow Singaporeans to vote safety

According to the Elections Department (ELD), the new Bill will introduce “precautionary measures” so Singaporeans can still vote safely if the GE were to take place amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

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The GE would have to be held before 14 Apr, 2021, but it’s hard to predict if the Covid-19 outbreak will subside by then, given its seemingly upward trajectory now.

The exact measures were not disclosed. However, given social distancing measures implemented earlier by the government, it’s likely that this election would be different from previous ones.

For one, political parties will not be able to hold conventional mass rallies if the measures are still in effect.

The Straits Times (ST) also reported that Members of Parliament (MPs) they spoke to plan on making use of technology to connect with voters, including:

• Messaging apps
• Real-time video streaming
• Social media

The exact date on which the Bill will be tabled remains unclear, but it will happen next week.

Heartened that ELD is introducing measures to protect Singaporeans’ safety

As the Covid-19 outbreak continues to escalate, it could also mean that Singapore has no choice but to hold the amid the pandemic.

We are heartened that the ELD is pre-empting this situation and will be introducing measures to ensure that Singaporeans can continue to vote without comprising their safety.

That’s, of course, the worst-case scenario. Let’s all hope that the outbreak will subside soon so we can go about living our lives normally.

Featured image adapted from Google Maps.