MORE polling stations and counters will be provided for the upcoming presidential election to reduce waiting times, announced the Elections Department (ELD) on Monday.

The number of polling stations will be increased to 1,264 for the 2023 presidential election from the 1,097 in the 2020 general election, which recorded long queues and extended voting hours.

This increased number of polling stations is estimated to reduce voters allocated to each polling station to 2,150, from 2,400 on average.

Also drawing on lessons learnt from the previous general election, ELD will introduce a new X-stamp, which is wider and more clearly intended to serve as a stamp than the X-pen introduced in 2020.

At the same time, more registration and ballot paper counters will be provided in each polling station to reduce waiting time for voters.

Voters will also be able to check their queue status online by accessing the VoteQ hyperlink on their e-poll card in the Singpass app and ELD’s voter services. They may also do so by scanning the QR code on their poll card, which will be mailed to them after Nomination Day, if the election is contested.

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ELD also provided more details on the procedure for overseas voting, which will take place for the first time.

In February this year, a new law was passed to allow for overseas voting. To qualify as voters, overseas Singaporeans must have resided in Singapore for a total of at least 30 days in the past three years before the registration date.

Overseas Singaporeans who opt for postal voting must ensure that the return envelopes with the marked postal ballot papers reach the custody of the returning officer in Singapore no later than 10 days after polling day.

Registration for overseas voting is now open at ELD’s voter services via Singpass and will close on the second day after the writ of election is issued. ELD encourages eligible overseas Singaporeans to register early for overseas voting if they wish to vote overseas.