Who Cannot Vote in Singapore? Eligibility & Disqualification

If you’ve ever wondered why some of your neighbours in Singapore head to the polls while others stay home, the answer is simpler than you might think—and maybe a little surprising. The country’s voting rules are built around citizenship and residency, not just age or criminal history, and they affect about 1.5 million non-citizens who cannot cast a ballot. This article walks through every disqualification category, from the obvious to the lesser-known, so you know exactly where the lines are drawn.

Singapore citizens eligible to vote as of 2025: approximately 2.75 million ·
Minimum voting age: 21 years ·
Compulsory voting compliance rate: over 93% in recent elections ·
Population that cannot vote: non-citizens (approx. 1.5 million) and disqualified citizens

Five key facts, one pattern: citizenship, age, mental capacity, criminal record, and the compulsory voting rule create a layered system of ineligibility that goes beyond what most democracies enforce.

Who cannot vote in Singapore?

Non-citizen voting restrictions

• Non-citizens including permanent residents cannot vote in Singapore. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• Only Singapore citizens who meet other criteria may vote. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

What this means: if you hold a Permanent Resident (PR) status, you are categorically excluded from voting in every election—Presidential, Parliamentary, or by-election. No provision exists for PR voting in any election type.

Disqualifications for criminal offenders

• Persons convicted of certain crimes and serving sentences are disqualified. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• Sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months or more triggers disqualification. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

The catch: disqualification often extends beyond the sentence period, and restoration requires a formal application after serving time.

The implication: even after a sentence ends, disenfranchisement continues unless the individual actively applies for reinstatement, a step many may not be aware of.

Can permanent residents vote in Singapore election?

Different types of permanent residents and voting eligibility

• Permanent residents (PRs) are not eligible to vote in any Singapore election. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• No distinction between PR categories—all are ineligible. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

The pattern: unlike some countries that grant local voting rights to long-term residents, Singapore reserves the franchise exclusively for citizens, a policy that has remained unchanged since independence.

Historical context of PR voting rights

• Singapore became independent in 1965; voting rights remained for citizens only. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• No historical provision existed for PR voting. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

Why this matters: the total population of about 5.45 million in 2025 includes roughly 0.54 million PRs and 1.86 million non-residents—all barred from voting, making Singapore one of the most restrictive wealthy nations on non-citizen voting.

What is the legal age to vote in Singapore?

Comparison with voting ages globally

• The legal voting age in Singapore is 21 years. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• This is higher than the global norm (typically 18). (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

The trade-off: while 18-year-olds can marry, work, and serve in the military, they cannot vote. The government has cited greater political maturity at age 21 as the rationale.

Arguments for maintaining age 21

• Government has cited greater political maturity at age 21 as a rationale. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• Reviews have been conducted but no change implemented. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

The implication: lowering the voting age to 18 would add hundreds of thousands of young voters to the rolls, but policymakers have resisted, citing a desire for informed and mature decision-making at the ballot box.

The pattern: this age gap is unusual even among countries with higher voting ages, and it creates a cohort of adults who are excluded from the ballot for three extra years.

Is it illegal to not vote in Singapore?

Compulsory voting system explained

• Voting is compulsory for eligible Singapore citizens. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)
• Failure to vote without a valid reason incurs a penalty. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)

The pattern: Singapore is one of about 20 countries with compulsory voting. Non-voters have their names removed from the electoral register and cannot vote again until restored.

Penalties and exceptions for non-voting

• A fee of S$50 is imposed if a non-voter does not have a valid reason. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)
• Valid reasons include illness, delivery of a baby, being overseas on a business trip, or religious obligation. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)

The catch: non-voters are also disqualified from being candidates at any subsequent Presidential or Parliamentary election until restoration. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)

Can mentally disabled individuals vote in Singapore?

Legal definition of mental incapacity for voting

• Individuals of unsound mind as determined under the Mental Capacity Act are disqualified. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• Disqualification requires a formal legal finding. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

What this means: not all mental disabilities automatically disqualify; only those causing inability to understand the nature and consequences of voting are affected.

Process of disqualification and exceptions

• Formal legal declaration required. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• No voting facility is provided at hospitals or drug rehabilitation centres, but being in such a facility does not itself disqualify. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

The trade-off: a citizen with a diagnosed condition that does not impair understanding of voting can still vote—if they can physically reach a polling station. The lack of mobile polling or hospital stations creates a de facto barrier for many.

The pattern: the absence of public data on mental incapacity disqualifications means that the true scale of voting exclusion in this category remains hidden.

Timeline of voting eligibility in Singapore

• 1955 – First general election with compulsory voting introduced. (Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?)
• 1959 – Singapore attained self-government; voting age set at 21. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• 1965 – Singapore becomes independent; voting rights remain for citizens only. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• 2001 – Registration of electors begins to incorporate data from National Registration Identity Cards. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)
• 2025 – Eligible voters numbered approximately 2.75 million out of total population of about 5.45 million. (Elections Department Singapore – Voter FAQs)

For more on your electoral division, see What Is My GRC? Find Your Singapore Constituency.

Expert perspectives

To qualify to vote at a contested election, a person’s name must be in the certified register of electors for an electoral division.

Elections Department Singapore (ELD) official website

The right to vote in Singapore is not explicitly stated in the Constitution but is inferred from Article 44 which provides for the appointment of the President and Parliament.

Constitution of Singapore (interpretation)

A Singapore citizen who fails to vote in a previous election becomes a non-voter if their name is removed from the Registers of Electors and they have not restored it.

Elections Department Singapore – What Should I Do If I Did Not Vote in a Past Election?

For the roughly 1.86 million non-residents and 0.54 million permanent residents living in Singapore, the message is clear: no citizenship means no ballot. For citizens, the barriers are age, criminal record, mental incapacity, or the compulsory voting penalty—each with a path back, but only for those who know the rules. The implication for the hundreds of thousands of eligible voters who skip the polls is a S$50 fine and removal from the register, a penalty that can keep them out of elections for years. For the Elections Department, the challenge is balancing participation enforcement with fairness for the vulnerable—especially those in hospitals or rehabilitation centres who cannot physically reach a polling station.

Related reading: **Singapore Senior Bonus Payment 2025: Eligibility & Dates** · **What Is My GRC? Find Your Singapore Constituency**

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