Your Vote is Secret.

Debunking the myth that voting is not secret.

A popular and unsubstantiated rumor is that votes can be tracked through their serial number. Why do ballot papers have serial numbers in the first place?

On the Worker's Party website we can find an FAQ with the following entry;

"Q: Why must the ballot papers have serial numbers?

A: This is a good way to guard against election fraud such as bringing counterfeit ballot papers into the polling station, vote impersonation or basing ballot papers which have been marked by others. We are not the only country in the world to have ballot papers numbered."

On the Elections Department website, they go into more detail on the purpose of serial numbers;

"The serial numbers on ballot papers enable strict accounting of all ballot papers issued and cast. That way, the number of papers found in the ballot box at the end of the election can be reconciled with the number of papers issued during the poll and the number of papers stocked before the poll began. This is a means to deal with the threat of ballot boxes being stuffed with false ballot papers.

Ballot papers have to be numbered to provide evidence if there is an allegation of impersonation, i.e. that a voter has cast his vote pretending to be someone else. This is done if the court orders so, by matching the suspicious ballot paper with the counterfoil, on which the voter's registration number is recorded. If proven, the vote can then be subtracted from the declared election results. Without the serial number on the ballot paper, it will be difficult to establish such an allegation, and to adjust the declared election results accordingly. "

"So, is ballot secrecy compromised by reason of having a serial number?

Theoretically, it is possible for anyone with access to the ballot papers to identify who cast a particular vote. The link between the ballot paper number and the electoral register through the counterfoil does facilitate tracing from a ballot paper to a voter's identity on the register. However, ballot papers can be examined only under strict conditions, and there are safeguards that make it extremely difficult to find out how any particular voter voted."

"The serial number on the ballot paper is to protect the integrity of the democratic process, and not to undermine the secrecy of the vote.

The ballot paper number is still a feature of UK parliamentary and local government elections."

Another common concern is; "What happens to my vote after I cast it?". On the Worker's Party website we find;

"Q: After I have cast my vote, what happens to it?

A: After the close of polls at 8 pm, the votes are sealed and moved to the counting centres where they will be counted by civil servants from different departments in the presence of the candidates and agents from both ruling party and opposition. Once counted, the votes, together with all the relevant records, the stubs of the ballot papers as well as unused ballot papers are sealed and transferred to the vault at the Supreme Court where they are kept for at least 6 months. The votes cannot be retrieved unless a court order is obtained on the ground of election fraud.

According to the Elections Department website, no court order has been issued to retrieve votes since Singapore conducted elections in 1948.

At the end of 6 months, the sealed votes and records will be transferred to an incineration plant for destruction. The whole procedure is witnessed by candidates/agents from all parties. The Workers’ Party has been present and has found the seals on the votes and records intact. The Workers’ Party is satisfied about voting secrecy."

Also on the same website is this helpful image;

According to the Elections Department;

"After the ballot papers are counted, all ballot papers and their counterfoils have to be sealed in the Supreme Court vault for 6 months, after which all the ballot papers and other election documents are destroyed. During those 6 months, these documents can only be retrieved by court order. The court will issue such an order only if it is satisfied that a vote has been fraudulently cast and the result of the election may be affected as a result. Our courts have issued no such order to date."

It is clear that voting is secret, and I will maintain this stance unless EVIDENCE is provided to the contrary. Whether you are a civil servant or on a university scholarship, you can vote for whomever it is you want, without fear.

References

Worker's Party, Your Vote Is Secret. Available at: http://wp.sg/wpge/your-vote-is-secret-3/ [Accessed 03 May 2011]

Worker's Party, Path of Ballot Paper from Casting of Votes to Incineration. Available at: http://wp.sg/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/yvis.1.jpg [Accessed 03 May 2011]

Singapore Elections Department, Ballot Secrecy. Available: http://www.elections.gov.sg/voters_ballotsecrecy.html [Accessed 03 May 2011]