Singapore introduces changes to electoral boundaries

SINGAPORE will have a larger number of elected Members of Parliament (MPs) following the upcoming General Election (GE2025), based on recommendations made by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee.

According to the White Paper released on Tuesday, the committee has recommended the introduction of 33 electoral divisions (EDs) for GE2025, resulting in a total of 97 MPs, up from the current 31 EDs and 93 MPs.

The committee’s proposal includes the creation of 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). These changes are intended to better reflect the growing electorate and the evolving needs of the country’s political landscape.

As of February 1, 2025, the Provisional Registers of Electors show that the number of eligible voters in Singapore has increased to 2,753,226, up by 101,791 voters from 2,651,435 at the 2020 GE.

The committee explained that its recommendations were guided by the parameters used during GE2020, such as the average size of GRCs, the proportion of MPs elected from SMCs, and the average number of electors per MP.

These factors were considered to ensure a balanced and representative allocation of seats for the upcoming election.

In a separate statement, the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee confirmed that its report was submitted to the Prime Minister on March 7, and the Government has accepted the recommendations outlined.

The changes will be implemented for the next General Election, which must be held by November 2025.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that, historically, the period between the formation of the electoral boundaries committee and polling day has ranged from four to eleven months across the past four elections, offering a rough timeline for when voters can expect the next GE to take place.

The planned increase in parliamentary seats reflects Singapore's ongoing commitment to ensuring that its elected body remains aligned with the country’s evolving demographic and electoral needs.

The new divisions are expected to further enhance political representation and provide voters with a more diverse and responsive range of candidates and constituencies. – March 11, 2025