Singapore (VNA) - Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 for the country’s 14th General Election.
The announcement was made after President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved the city-state's parliament on April 15.
The Nomination Day will be on April 23, giving candidates nine days to campaign before the “cooling-off day” on May 2 — a day before polling day — allowing voters the time to reflect and consider key issues before making their decisions.
"Under the law, Polling Day at any General Election shall be a public holiday. Every employer shall on Polling Day allow every elector in his employ a reasonable period of time to vote," the Elections Department said in a media release on April 15.
The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is expected to be challenged for all 97 parliamentary seats across 33 constituencies, comprising 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMC).
There will be nine nomination centres covering the various electoral divisions. Prospective candidates must deliver nomination papers to the returning officer between 11am and noon on April 23.
The upcoming election could feature candidates from 11 parties, including two opposition alliances. The opposition camp has contested all seats since the 2015 polls.
This will be the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also Secretary-General of the PAP.
In the 2020 General Election, which was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the PAP clinched 61.24% of the votes, winning 83 seats out of an available 93./.
