Voting for the First Time

It was a refreshing exprience for me having to be able to vote for the first time yesterday. I was lucky to be asked to go Rosyth School to vote, since it is located just next to my house.

I went after having lunch with my brother. The security was tight but as I went to vote without a bag, there was no security check by the security officer. After showing my identity card to the polling officer & security officer, I was given my ballot slip after they checked my particulars against the electoral register. I indicated my choice at a special zone, before depositing my ballot paper into the ballot box. The whole process took about 7 minutes.

A few interesting points to note about what I observed at the polling centre.

1. The ballot paper had indicated the opposition party in my GRC in the first box and the PAP in the second box. If the people did not read carefully, they would have crossed or ticked the wrong box.
2. The ballot box is not like the one showcased on TV. It is not a metal box sealed with lock & key but a cardboard box sealed with masking tape with a slot made for the ballot paper. My concern is that the ballot paper can be tampered with and the results that you get may not be what you see on the mass media.
3. The ballot box was placed on a plastic chair & not on a table as shown on TV. Is the Elections Department trying to save cost?

My family stayed glued to the TV set from 10pm and watched till the final result, that of Sembawang GRC, which Mr Khaw Boon Wan led them to a 76.7% victory over the SDP. The results were expected. The only shock was Mr Low Thia Kiang winning 62.74% of the voters' support in Hougang. To me, it is a signal that the residents, although they are old, they do not see upgrading as an important issue.

I was not surprised by the Workers' Party's performance in this election. Their candiates, although young, have the potential and calibre. I am also not surprised that my GRC, Ang Mo Kio, the PAP did not win the expected percentage of 80% to 85%. I hope the opposition parties' renewal process will bring up some new people to lead the opposition over the next 5 to 10 years. I am sure people will want to see more accountability in our political system.