Ballot papers and other documents used in Bukit Batok by-election to be destroyed

SINGAPORE — The ballot papers and other documents used in May's Bukit Batok by-election will be destroyed on Nov 12, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Monday (Nov 7).

The sealed boxes containing both the ballot papers and documents are currently stored in the Supreme Court, and will be transported to the Tuas South Incineration Plant on Nov 12 for destruction by incineration.

The Bukit Batok by-election, held on May 7, saw a straight fight between the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Murali Pillai, and the Singapore Democratic Party’s Dr Chee Soon Juan.

Mr Pillai won the election with 61.21 per cent of the votes, while Dr Chee got 38.79 per cent of the votes.

A total of 24,192 votes were cast, including 622 rejected votes. There were 25,727 registered electors in the single-member ward. 

The by-election was called after then-PAP Member of Parliament for the ward David Ong resigned in March, following an alleged extramarital affair with a PAP activist.

According to the Parliamentary Elections Act (Chapter 218), ballot papers and other documents used in an election shall be sealed and retained in safe custody for a period of 6 months, after which they shall be destroyed, unless otherwise directed by order of the President.

This is to ensure secrecy of the vote, said the ELD.