General Elections2011

What is an election?

• In an election, the citizens of a country vote for people to represent their interests in the government.

Who can vote?

• Singapore citizens who are at least 21 years old

• It is compulsory to vote

Map of Electoral Divisions

What is GRC or SMC?

• GRC = Group Representation Constituency

(about 4 – 6 people or seats)

• SMC = Single Member Constituency

A Party

Candidate

LEADER

Candidate Candidate Candidate

Candidate Candidate Candidate Candidate

CandidateCandidateCandidateCandidateCandidate

Candidate

CandidateCandidateCandidate

The PartiesPeople’s Action Party

Mr Lee Hsien Loong

Worker’s Party

Mr Low Thia Khiang

Singapore Democratic Party

Mr Chee Soon Juan

Singapore People’s Party

Mr Chiam See Tong

The PartiesReform Party

Mr Kenneth Andrew Jeyaretnam

National Solidarity Party

Mr Goh Meng Seng

• Areas that are contested require residents to vote

People’s Action PartyWorker’s Party

Singapore Democratic Party

Three-cornered fight

Before the election

• A political party may send candidates to take part in an election

- May visit homes- May give out pamphlets- May give speeches to explain their plans on what they would do for the people

• Cooling day before the election

Vote for us!

CandidateCandidate

On the day of the election

• Polling day (7 May 2011) • A public holiday

• Voters go to a polling station to vote• Their votes are secret

After the election

• The political party with the most number of elected candidates wins the election and forms the government.

• They will serve in the Parliament for 5 years.

For example:

• The leader of that political party becomes the leader of the government.

• He chooses some elected members of his party to take charge of different areas of responsibility in the government.

• 87 seats in this election. 82 seats are being contested (with 1 walkover)