Singapore polls underway as 48% of voters cast their votes as of noon

Voting in Singapore's general election is underway as over 48% of registered voters have cast their votes as of noon, according to the Election Department.

Over 1.26 million Singaporeans have cast their votes by 12 pm local time (0400GMT), which is about 48% of the total registered votes, Straits Times reported, citing the election authorities.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also cast his vote at his constituency at Evans Road in the Bukit Timah area in the city.

Earlier, the polling began at 8 am (0000GMT) and will continue till 8 pm (1200GMT).

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is aiming to extend its uninterrupted hold on power since independence in 1965.

Out of Singapore's 6 million people, 2.76 million are eligible to vote in the five-year election cycle.

Voting is compulsory in the city-state where average turnout since 2001 has reached 94.2%, according to official data.

A total of 211 candidates from 11 political parties are competing for 97 seats in parliament.

Only the PAP, however, which has won all 13 general elections since independence, is fielding candidates in all constituencies.

Its main challenger, the Workers' Party, is competing for 26 seats.

Only six parties are running for more than 10 seats each.

The election will decide the seats in 33 constituencies, 17 of which are multi-member group representation constituencies (GRCs) and 15 single-member constituencies.

Five seats have already been secured by the PAP in a walkover in one GRC, which is the first uncontested constituency since 2011.

Most races remain straight fights, with only five constituencies seeing more than two parties competing.

The brief nine-day campaign followed the official announcement on April 15.

The PAP is widely expected to retain its majority, although opposition parties are hoping to make modest gains, particularly in urban districts where cost-of-living concerns have been rising.

Singapore's electoral landscape is shaped by strict campaigning rules and a centralized political culture, with the PAP emphasizing stability, economic growth, and social order in its campaign messaging.

Final results are expected late Saturday, though official declarations may follow after all votes are counted and reviewed, including overseas and postal ballots.