So since it's elections season in Singapore, I thought I'd put out a quick PSA, in Q&A format, on some dos and don'ts.¹

Q: Hey Polling Day is on a Saturday! Does this mean that I'm being shortchanged one public holiday?

A: Probably not. If Saturday is a non-working day for you, you're entitled to either a day off or salary in lieu. The day off should be discussed with your employer and is not the next Monday by default.²

That being said, for those of us with school-going children, the next Monday (5 May) is a school holiday.³ So I guess those of us who don't get that Monday day off might have to take leave.⁴

Q: I really don't feel like voting, and my employer has given us the day off for the Monday after Polling Day. Can't I take leave on 2 May and go for a holiday from Thursday to Monday?

A: Sorry no voting is compulsory.⁵ Surely you know this.

Although, that being said, there is no prescribed penalty for failing to vote. The consequence of not voting is that you get expunged from the register of electors, which means you can't vote in future.⁶ But hey if you didn't even want to vote in the first place, is that really a downside? Hrmmm.

That being said, I am not dissuading you from voting. Please do vote.

Unless your constituency is Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC,⁷ in which case you can't vote regardless of whether you want to!⁸

Q: I think voting is pointless. Can I share with my network why I think I think we shouldn't bother voting?

A: Please don't. It's an offence to dissuade any person from voting, punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.⁹

Also, attempting to do so is also an offence. So if you get charged for this, it's not very helpful to say "well yes I did encourage people not to vote, but I am so unconvincing that nobody was dissuaded from doing so". You'll probably still get into trouble.

Q: Ok, but I'm still disgruntled. When I vote, can I drop my manifesto into the ballot box explaining that I am only voting under protest and setting out my grievances?

A: Well, first, I don't know how many people would end up reading that manifesto. There are only so many people involved in the vote counting process.

Second and more to the point, please don't. It's an offence to put into any ballot box anything other than the ballot paper, punishable by a fine and imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years. And if convicted, you won't be allowed to vote or be elected for 7 years.¹⁰

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More in part 2, and feel free to leave questions in comments.¹¹