Sample Count Shows Tharman Leading Presidential Race with 70% of Votes

The sample count for Singapore’s 2023 Presidential Election, released on Friday night (Sept 1) by the Elections Department, shows Tharman Shanmugaratnam in the lead with 70% of votes. Fellow candidates Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian received 16% and 14% of votes, respectively.

Historically, the sample count has been a reliable indicator of the final election outcome. This count is determined by selecting 100 random ballots from each polling station across the country, weighted by each station’s voter population. The final election results will be announced by returning officer Tan Meng Dui in a live television broadcast.

Tharman, Ng, and Tan were confirmed as eligible candidates on Aug 17, with each casting their ballots earlier in the day on Sept 1. Tan Kin Lian, who voted at Anderson Serangoon Junior College, expressed his acceptance of the outcome regardless of the result, stating, “If I win, it will be a whole new chapter in my life, but if I lose, I will go back to my retirement life. Either way, I am okay.”

Tharman, casting his vote at Raffles Girls’ Primary School, described feeling “fine” and appreciated the calm atmosphere on election day. Ng Kok Song, who voted at Katong Community Centre, noted “a certain enthusiasm to vote” among Singaporeans.