ELD Urges Singaporeans to Vote Later in the Afternoon to Avoid Morning Queues

Update, Sep. 1, 10:32am: The Elections Department (ELD) announced that queues at most polling stations have improved, with technical issues in the e-registration system being progressively resolved. However, Singaporeans are still encouraged to vote later in the day to avoid congestion.

On the morning of Sep. 1, 2023, ELD issued a statement at 8:40 am advising voters to consider arriving in the afternoon, as the polling stations will be open until 8 pm. “We seek voters’ patience and understanding as we work to clear the morning queues,” ELD stated, noting that afternoon queues are typically shorter.

Queue Conditions Across Singapore
Reports indicate that many polling stations saw longer wait times during the morning hours. One voter at Block 8A, Jalan Kukoh, reported a 50-minute wait as the queue extended outside the tent and around nearby HDB flats. Election officials advised those uncomfortable with the wait to consider returning later.

At Temasek Polytechnic, another voter saw a “maroon red” status on the SingPass mobile app, indicating high queue volume with over 200 people at the station. Nonetheless, they reported that the process was efficient, with wait times around 15 minutes and queues cleared within 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, other voters experienced minimal wait times. A reader voting at Block 697 Hougang reported completing the entire process in under three minutes with no visible queue.