If you did not vote in an election, your name would be expunged from the register of electors after the election. Consequently, until your name is restored to the register of electors (upon your application), you would not be eligible to vote at any subsequent presidential or parliamentary election. You would also be disqualified from standing as a candidate at any subsequent presidential or parliamentary election.

You are qualified to be registered as an overseas elector if you are currently residing outside Singapore and, as on 1 February 2009, you:

(a) are a Singapore citizen not less than 21 years of age;

(b) have a Singapore residential address registered with the Commissioner of National Registration (at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority) (ie. a valid local NRIC address), or
in the case where you have changed your NRIC address to a foreign address, have reported a contact address¹  in Singapore with the Commissioner of National Registration;

(c) are not disqualified from being an elector under any prevailing law² ; and

{The above (a), (b) and (c) will allow the Registration Officer to enter or retain your name in the Register of Electors of the constituency where your NRIC address or contact address in Singapore is located}

(d) have resided in Singapore for a total of 30 days during the three years immediately before 1 February 2009(i.e. between 1 February 2006 and 31 January 2009).

Note:
¹See Question 13 under the FAQs for the definition of “contact address” under the National Registration Act.
²However, if you are a non-voter (ie. your name was struck off from the Register of Electors because you failed to vote in a previous election), you may apply to Elections Department for your name to be restored to the Register of Electors. See Question (10) & (12) under the FAQs.

The following explanations have been accepted as valid and sufficient reason for not voting :

(a) working overseas (including being on a business trip) at the time of the poll

(b) studying overseas at the time of the poll

(c) living with your spouse who is working or studying overseas

(d) overseas vacation which was planned before the poll

(e) illness, or delivering a baby

You need to substantiate your explanation when applying to restore your name to the register of electors. For example, those who claim to be overseas to work or study, or to be living with a spouse who is working or studying overseas, the passport plus an employer's letter or educational institution's letter, and marriage certificate would be required. For those who were on an overseas vacation or business trip, the passport plus documents showing that the trip had been planned before Nomination Day should be produced, such as receipts from travel agencies, air tickets, hotel booking receipts, or a suitable letter from your employer. Those who did not vote for health reasons should produce a medical certificate, hospital bill or the child's birth certificate.

You may apply to be an overseas elector by any of the following ways:

(a) Online

You may apply online via the Elections Department’s eServices using your NRIC number and SingPass.

You will be able to complete your application form and submit it online only if you login to the Elections Department’s eServices using your SingPass. If you do not have a SingPass, you may apply for it at the SingPass website (www.singpass.gov.sg).

(b) By registered post

You may also login to the Elections Department’s eServices using your Date of Issue of NRIC. However, using this mode of login will not allow you to submit your application online. You will have to print out the application form, affix your signature and send it by registered post to the Elections Department, or to any of the overseas registration centres.

(c) In person

Alternatively, you may apply in person at the Elections Department or at any of the overseas registration centres, by submitting a duly completed and signed application form which may be downloaded from the Elections Department eServices or obtained from the Elections Department or any of the overseas registration centres.

You may apply to be registered as an overseas elector from 3 March 2009 onwards. Registration may be made at any time except during the election period³.

Note:
³Election period refers to the period from the day when the writ for an election is issued to the day when the election is completed.