Nomination Day wrapped up on 23 April 2025, with several surprises in tow. DPM Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean stepped down from politics, while a 4-cornered contest awaited those who live in Tampines GRC. The PAP also clinched its first 5 seats in parliament in a first walk-over since GE2011 in the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
As we look forward to the campaigning and rallies before voting on Saturday, 3 May 2025, here are the key timelines we should note in a General Election.
General Elections Had To Be Held By November 2025
While we already know that GE2025 will be on 3 May 2025, the current Parliament has a 5-year term and the General Elections had to be held by November 2025.
Since Parliament may be dissolved at any time before the expiry of its 5-year term by the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, we now know that we will be going to the polls on 3 May 2025.
Formation Of The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee: 22 January 2025
The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) was formed on 22 January 2025, and provided an initial milestone to guess when the next General Elections would be held.
The Committee is convened ahead of every General Elections to review and make changes to the electoral boundary lines, taking into consideration “population shifts and housing development since the last boundary delineation exercise”.
From recent General Elections, the time between convening the EBRC to the General Elections was between three to 11 months. This time, it is just over three months.
The EBRC issued its Report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, 2025 on 11 March 2025. In the past, the time between the issue of this report to the General Election was between one and three months. This time, it has taken nearly two months.
Read Also: How Closely Do The GE2025 Electoral Boundaries Mirror Singapore’s Postal District Map
Writ Of Election Issued: 15 April 2025
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam issued the Writ of Election, and dissolved Singapore’s 14th Parliament, on 15 April 2025. This marked the start of the General Election 2025.
Along with the Writ of Election, we will receive details of Nomination Day, which would be on 23 April 2025, the locations of the Nomination Centres, as well as details on the Election Deposit of $13,500 and Election Financing, limiting election expenses of $5 for every elector within a constituency.
We will also know when Polling Day will be – and this year, we go to the polls on 3 May 2025.
Read Also: [GE2025 Edition] How Much Can Each Candidate Spend On The Singapore General Election?
Nomination Day: 23 April 2025
Candidates from their respective political parties have to submit their nomination documents at the Nomination Centres.
Following the Nomination Day activities between 11am and 12pm, we will know the slate of candidates standing at each of the constituencies.
On Nomination Day, we saw the high-profile departures from Singapore’s political scene with DPM Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean stepping down. We were also surprised by DPM Gan Kim Yong moving from Choa Chu Kang to helm PAP’s Punggol GRC team. In another surprising move, the Workers’ Party contested Tampines GRC and left Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC uncontested.
Read Also: GE2025 Nomination Day: Key Highlights, Surprises & What Is Going On In Tampines?
Poll Card Issuance: After Nomination Day
After Nomination Day, a poll card will be sent to voters’ latest residential address if their constituency is contested. This means those who live in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC will not receive any poll cards.
If any elector does not receive their poll card before Polling Day on 3 May, they can access their ePoll card through Voter Services or Singpass app.
Campaigning: 23 April to 1 May 2025
Campaigning begins immediately after the Nomination Day activies. This is the part that many Singaporeans may look forward to.
Candidates from all political parties will likely be making appearances in the neighbourhoods they are contesting. Political parties may also hold physical rallies, which is something that were missed out from GE2020, due to the pandemic.
Labour Day: 1 May 2025
This year, Labour Day falls in between the campaigning period. We will likely get to hear from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first May Day Rally – after taking over from now Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loon who gave the speech in 2024.
Cooling-Off Day: 2 May 2025
Cooling-off Day is designated as the day before polling day to give voters time to think and reflect on the issues raised during the campaigning period. This was a recent addition to the election process – introduced in 2011.
No new campaigning activities are allowed on Cooling-off Day. But, obviously, we will still see the existing campaigning materials.
Polling Day: 3 May 2025
Singaporeans will cast our votes on 3 May 2025, at our respective polling centres from 8am to 8pm.
Many Singaporeans will be glued to their TVs to stay tuned to the voting counts, which will likely run into the early hours of the following day, especially for constituencies with very close counts.
Sample vote counts using 100 ballots will be announced first, giving an early indication of the eventual outcome. This will be about 2 hours after the close of voting at 8pm. There is a 4% margin of error taken into account, hence, if one political party is ahead by a larger margin, it is highly likely they will take the constituency.
After counting all the votes, if there is a margin of less than 2%, there will be an automatic recount.
Also worth noting is that 3 May will be a Public Holiday, and Singaporeans can look forward to an off in-lieu or an additional day off. However, Monday, 5 May, is a school holiday, but not a Public Holiday.
Read Also: GE2025 Polling Day On 3 May (Saturday): What Are Your Obligations As An Employer
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