NEXT MILESTONE TO LOOK OUT FOR
The convening of the committee kickstarts a series of events that culminates in the nation heading to the polls.
The expected sequence of events is as follows:
1. The EBRC is convened
2. Release of EBRC report detailing changes to the electoral map
The EBRC does not have a set deadline to complete its review, but past committees took between three weeks and almost seven and a half months before issuing its report.
The report will state the total number of seats up for grabs, in Single Member Constituencies and Group Representation Constituencies across the island.
Election season kicks off, with political parties deciding their slates in the wards they intend to contest. Election manifestos and slogans will also be published.
3. Parliament is dissolved
The president will dissolve parliament under the advice of the prime minister. A General Election must be held within the next three months.
The government will continue to retain decision-making power until the election is over and the next government is sworn in. The public service also continues functioning as usual.
4. Writ of Election is issued
The writ is typically issued on the same day, shortly after parliament is dissolved.
There is no set duration between the release of the EBRC report and the calling of the General Election.
In 2001, it took just a day. In the last contest in 2020, Singaporeans waited three months and 10 days.
5. Nomination Day
This must take place no earlier than five days and no later than one month after the writ is issued. Parties contesting the election have to file their papers at nomination centres before noon on the day, before the final candidate line-up is confirmed.
That day also marks the start of the campaign period, which typically lasts nine days.
6. Cooling-off Day
Introduced in the 2011 General Election, no campaigning is allowed on the eve of Polling Day, to give voters the time to reflect and consider key issues before making their decisions.
7. Polling Day
Voters head to the ballot boxes from 8am to 8pm.
In 2020, voting was extended by two hours, due to long queues at polling stations driven in part by COVID-19 safety measures.
Before the official results are out, sample counts will give Singaporeans an indication of who the likely winners are in the various wards. Introduced in the 2015 electoral contest, the samples provide a fairly good indication of the final outcome, with a confidence rate of 95 per cent and a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
