E-FILING OF GENERAL ELECTION FORMS

E-FILING OF GENERAL ELECTION FORMS

2.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Prime Minister whether a decision has been made to allow e-filing of certain types of candidates' forms at the next General Election and, if so, whether he will elaborate on the details.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong: The Parliamentary Elections Act requires the candidate to personally present his nomination paper and related documents to the Returning Officer on Nomination Day at designated places of nomination. Amongst others, the related documents include a Political Donation Certificate issued by the Registrar of Political Donations for every candidate, and a Certificate of the Malay Community Committee or the Indian and other Minority Communities Committee for one of the candidates in every GRC slate. Application and collection of these certificates must continue to be done by the candidate or his election agent or proxy over the counter at the Elections Department. In addition, the Post Election Donation Report and Return of Election Expenses must continue to be submitted by every candidate and election agent in hardcopy forms.

Other than these, in areas where forms can be submitted or processed electronically, the Elections Department will facilitate it as far as practicable. At the next General Election, candidates and election agents will be able to access those forms that they need to use via the Elections Department website. They can complete these forms electronically before printing out the hardcopies for use, or download the blank forms to their local drive for subsequent usage. In addition, candidates and election agents will be able to perform certain transactions with the Elections Department online. These include submitting the particulars of their election workers and addresses of their election offices as well as placing purchase orders for the registers of electors and electoral maps.

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