SINGAPORE — Electronic registration will be implemented at polling stations, shortening the waiting time before voters can cast their ballots, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean announced on Friday (Dec 29).

Speaking at the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Elections Department (ELD) — held at its first home, the Fullerton Building — Mr Teo said this was the latest improvement the department will make to the election process to better serve Singaporeans. The ELD could not elaborate on when this would be implemented.

Currently, election officials manually check voters’ details against a list. The plan is to scan NRICs electronically.

Mr Teo traced the various changes the ELD made over the years that have benefitted voters, including setting up overseas polling stations in major global cities in 2006, and releasing random sample counts publicly on Counting Night to prevent speculation and misinformation from unofficial sources in 2015.

Since it was established in 1947 under the Colonial Secretary’s Office to conduct the first Legislative Council election the following year, the ELD has overseen 69 elections, including the 1962 national referendum on the merger with the Federation of Malaya, a milestone that shaped the history of Singapore.

Since Singapore gained independence in 1965, the ELD has conducted 48 elections, including five Presidential Elections, 12 General Elections and 31 By-Elections.

And throughout that time, the ELD has “contributed to 70 years of free and fair elections and upheld the integrity of our democratic process”, said Mr Teo.

“The processes and procedures ELD has put in place for all the elections in Singapore have not been called into question, and this reflects the strong trust of candidates, political parties, voters and Singaporeans in ELD’s work,” he added.

Mr Teo also made special mention of the longest-serving ELD staff, Mr Puteh Mahamood, 84, who has been with the ELD since Day One.

“He remembers the first Legislative Council election in 1948 and meeting personalities such as Mr David Marshall and Mr Lim Yew Hock,” said Mr Teo.

Speaking to TODAY, Mr Puteh said the biggest change in the ELD was the shift to online processes.

“In the past, everything was manual (work). We had to print all the papers out, but now everything is made faster through (online) submissions,” he said.

At the event, Mr Teo and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing also gave out mementos to past and present Returning Officers, election officials and officers from various public agencies that work with the ELD.