SINGAPORE - The Elections Department (ELD) reminded members of the public on Tuesday that any publication of election surveys or exit polls is not allowed during the election period.
An election survey is an opinion survey of how voters will vote at an election, or of the preferences of voters in regard to candidates. An exit poll refers to any statement on how voters have voted at the election, or a forecast on the result of the election.
Paid online advertising is allowed only for candidates, their election agents and authorised people, ELD said in its statement.
Those who are not candidates or election agents can publish paid online election advertising only if they receive written authorisation from a candidate or election agent following Nomination Day.
All paid ads must be declared to the Returning Officer by the candidate or election agent, and abide by existing requirements.
These requirements include displaying the full names of those responsible for publishing it, those who approved the content, those who directed that the ad be published, and who had paid for or sponsored it.
ELD said this ensures transparency and accountability, and prevents the use of paid advertisements as a conduit for foreign interference in the elections process, or to bypass the election expense limits for candidates.
Unpaid ads are allowed, but must display clearly the full names of those who played an active role in publishing it. All ads, paid and unpaid, are not allowed during the Cooling-off Period, which is from 12am on Aug 31 to 8pm on Sept 1.
Online ads that had already been lawfully published before Cooling-off Day, and which remain unchanged after their publication, need not be taken down.
But republishing such existing ads, like sharing or resharing, is considered to be publishing fresh ones, and is prohibited.
ELD said that since the Writ of Election was issued on Aug 11, it has observed breaches of the ban on the publication of the results of an election survey on various online platforms.
“The appropriate enforcement action has been taken against these breaches. The public is reminded to abide by this ban.”
For example, it is considered a breach if the public creates polls on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok, online forums like Reddit, messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram, or websites where the results of the survey can be viewed.
They are also reminded to not post or report the results of an election survey on these platforms.
ELD added that foreigners and foreign entities are prohibited from taking part in any election activity, and from publishing or displaying any election advertising during the election period, which is from when the writ is issued to Polling Day.
“The outcome of Singapore’s elections must be for Singaporeans alone to decide,” it said.
Nomination Day is on Tuesday, and Singapore will go to the polls on Sept 1 should there be a contest.
