GE2020: An online race

The upcoming elections are set to be one that Singapore has never experienced before. Less than a decade since GE2011, the first election to see candidates’ heavy usage of social media platforms to connect with voters, GE2020 is geared to be an election which will be held almost completely online.

Various opposition parties have taken to online platforms like Facebook and Zoom, to connect with voters and maintain their presence.

Workers’ Party (WP) has held an online survey on Facebook to gauge opinions regarding policy directions, and is also utilising platforms like Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram for voters to receive and have easy access to all official messages, statements, and releases. Separately, WP has also held webinars on Zoom organised by the WP Youth Wing, with panelists addressing the issues of Covid-19.

Another party that has organised Zoom panels to discuss pressing issues, is the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). Named MeetPSP, the sessions feature party members as panelists who will take and answer questions posed by the public. 

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has also joined the online outreach, with a WhatsApp broadcast channel, and an online forum that has been posted on Youtube.

The Elections Department Singapore (ELD) released guidelines yesterday (Jun 8), to ensure the health and safety of voters on Polling Day and has said that additional TV broadcast time for candidates and political parties will be considered. This is to allow voters access to the election messages of all political parties.

Although physical campaigning guidelines have yet to be released due to the evolving nature of the Covid-19 situation, it seems that candidates and parties are aware that they cannot count on physical campaigns to reach and connect to voters under these unprecedented circumstances.