SINGAPORE – Publishing the results of an election survey, or any content that appears to be the results of such a survey, is not allowed during the presidential election period.

This period starts from when the Writ of Election was issued last Friday, to the close of polls on Polling Day on Sept 1, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Wednesday.

The ELD said it issued this reminder after it observed several online surveys polling respondents on their preferred candidate in the presidential election.

An election survey is a survey of how people will vote at an election, or of the preferences of voters regarding any candidate, or any issue with which an identifiable candidate is associated at an election, said ELD.

The Straits Times has seen groups on platforms such as Telegram that have polled their followers on how they intend to vote or who will be president, with the results updated in real time.

Under the Presidential Elections Act, the publication of election survey results during an election period is an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,500, imprisonment for up to a year, or both.

The publication of any exit poll or forecast of election results before the close of all polling stations on Polling Day is an offence that carries the same penalty.

The four presidential hopefuls are former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66; entrepreneur George Goh, 63; former GIC chief investment officer Ng Kok Song, 75; and former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian, 75.