Polling Day: DOs And DON’Ts

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, the Old and the Young, the Retired and the Unemployed, Virgins and Veterans (voters), Smart and Stupid people, alike…

The Singapore General Elections is upon us.

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Earlier we released a friendly-seriously reminder about Nomination Day Behaviour. Now we present you a seriously-friendly list on Polling Day Etiquette.

Trust us, in this social-media-trigger-happy day and age, some of you are going to need some pointers.

Here are some Dos and Don’ts for 11 SEPTEMBER 2015

SELFIES

WHY?

It’s not just that your vote is sacred, and the ballot is a secret, yada yada, that we should collectively help to maintain that. It is also illegal to reveal how someone else has voted; a sloppy selfie might lead to that. Plus there are voters and volunteers identity we need to respect… Basically, there’s a potential breach of the law written on the wall, regardless of your intentions. and since this is a seriously friendly list, we just want to do our civic duty and join in the discouragement of SELFIES (and yes, that includes, wefies, and groupies, etc.

Do: If you must, take pics / tweet / be on your smart device outside the polling station before or after you vote.

Don’t: Take pics / tweet / be on your smart device in the Polling Centre.

SOCIAL-MEDIA-ING

Same as above. Keep all these real-time updates and LIVE-blogging you’re bursting to document, to yourself, at least until you’re outside the polling station.

In most countries, it is considered a criminal act to communicate information about the way someone has voted or is about to vote, and specifically to “directly or indirectly induce a voter to display his ballot paper after he has marked it so as to make known to any person the name of the candidate for whom he has or has not voted”.

Don’t anyhow post

Do post responsibly

CHOICE OF CLOTHING

Screen Shot 2015-08-31 at 2.00.42 pm — **WHY?**

Cos it’s not a red carpet and you’re not Bard Pitt, agree? Not only that, voters in inappropriate clothing, like shirts carrying political slogans / tag-lines for example, may be considered intimidating, and disallowed.Voters in hoodies, hats, sunglasses, and capes, headphones, (what, you don’t wear a cape from time to time?)please reconsider. Polling officers need to be able to see your face. This prevents cases of fraud, impersonation, etc.Voters in high-heels, and other uncomfortable footwear,we have two words: your problem. note there might be walking across the school lawns, etc.Voters planning to go topless, send us an image and let’s reassess if the public needs to see that.Don’t: Dress Inappropriately- – you might get stomped! 🙂Do: Dress normally and comfortably – you might get stomped! 🙂

KIDS & FUR-KIDS

Screen Shot 2015-08-31 at 2.06.55 pm — First, let’s altogether say: “Awww”

WHY?

Let’s agree, we should not let our kids or pets disrupt the voting process. (folks with guide-dogs please obviously take them.)

If you have a wee-one that needs attention:

Do make arrangements. Perhaps take turns with your spouse, or arrange for a babysitter, instead of getting to the Polling station altogether, only to realise there is a queue, and you have to stand in the sun perhaps, and other unforeseen logistical nightmares that can mess with your voting Zen.

While there may be no other regulations on other animals such as your pet iguana, fish, or your favourite stuffed toy, decisions will be at the discretion of presiding officers, who are likely volunteers and cannot be assumed to be experienced babysitters or animal-lovers, let alone non-allergic, so best not try your luck.

Of course, some of you might want to bring your kids along, to show them how it is done. We hope they are generally welcome, but that will be down to the discretion / prevailing laws. – In any case, if that is the case, by all means go ahead, but please don’t let your child mark the X- it’s your vote after all.

SPECULATION

Do read up on your candidates, constituency beforehand, and form a decision.

Don’t expect a show (or worse, put up one) say start or engage in discussion the merits of different candidates or parties – as it may unsettle other voters.

Don’t ask someone about where there vote is going as this will break the secrecy of the poll.

Don’t distribute party leaflets or other literature in the polling station.

If you want a friendly discussion / debate, do so outside the polling station

OTHERS

Do remind, prepare, inform, and make arrangements to help e.g. the disabled, the aged, those who might be overseas (and have problem getting time-zones right)