General elections were held in Singapore on 7 May 2011 to elect members of Parliament. They were the thirteenth general elections since the introduction of self-government in 1959 and the eleventh since independence in 1965. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 19 April on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong three weeks before the election. The number of elected seats was increased from 84 to 87 from the previous election. This was the second election contested by Lee as prime minister.

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) achieved a landslide victory in the election, retaining its supermajority. Nevertheless, the election saw historic gains for the opposition in Singapore's political landscape. For the second consecutive election, the PAP did not return to government on nomination day. It also marked the first and only three-cornered contest since 2001, which was held at Punggol East Single Member Constituency (SMC). Described as a "watershed" election, it saw the highest proportion of contested seats since independence, excluding the five seats in Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC); it was the last general election to have a walkover in at least one constituency until 2025. It also marked the last general election to feature Lee Kuan Yew prior to his death in 2015.

Key issues in the elections included immigration, the cost of living and housing. The PAP's share of the popular vote fell further to 60.14 percent, its lowest since independence. The Workers' Party (WP) won Aljunied GRC, securing five additional elected MPs and making history as the first opposition party to capture a GRC since the scheme's introduction in 1988. Three non-constituency seats (NCMPs) were also awarded, one to the Singapore People's Party (SPP) and two to the WP, bringing the total number of opposition MPs to nine. The electorate surpassed two million for the first time, making the 2011 general election the most actively contested in Singapore's history at the time since its first post-independence election in 1968.

Background The 2011 general election was the thirteenth held since the introduction of self-government in 1959 and the eleventh since Singapore's independence in 1965. The governing People's Action Party (PAP) aimed to secure its thirteenth consecutive term in office since its first electoral victory in 1959. It was the second general election led by Lee Hsien Loong as both Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the PAP.

The returning officer is the Chief Executive Director of the People's Association (PA) Yam Ah Mee, who replaced his predecessor Tan Boon Huat after serving as returning officer for three general elections from 1997 to 2006. As of the recent 2025 election, this was the most recent election with Yam declaring the "pursuant to section 49" line and the rejected votes announced first before voter's turnout; subsequent elections from 2015 would omit the lines due to time constraints and the practice of announcing valid votes first before announcing rejected votes.

Parliamentary reforms On 11 March 2010 the Government tabled three bills in the parliament to amend the Constitution, the Presidential Elections Act and the Parliamentary Elections Act. These amendments reduced the number of Group representation constituencies (GRC), increased the number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) to a maximum of nine (inclusive of the number of elected opposition members of Parliament), and the number of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) permanent also to nine. A one-day "cooling-off" day was implemented, during which campaigning was forbidden, with only party political broadcasts allowed. Internet campaigning was also formally legalised as a legitimate means of political campaigning. On 26 April 2010, the amendments to the Constitution were passed by a vote of 74–1 after a three-hour debate on the bill.

A month before the dissolution, the Elections Department Singapore announced a raise of the maximum campaigning expenses in this election, which raised from the previous amount per each voter of $3 up to $3.50.

Political parties

The governing People's Action Party (PAP) has been in power since Singapore's independence in 1965, and is currently led by the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Besides the ruling PAP, the other major political parties that may contest the upcoming elections are the Workers' Party (WP) led by Low Thia Khiang, the Singapore People's Party led by Chiam See Tong which left the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) in 2011, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) led by Chee Soon Juan, By Farah Abdul Rahim. the National Solidarity Party (NSP) led by Goh Meng Seng which left the SDA in 2007, the Reform Party (Singapore) led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam, and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) led by Desmond Lim, which is composed of the Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (Singapore Malay National Organization) (PKMS) and the Singapore Justice Party (SJP). The Reform Party is the newest party and was created on 18 June 2008 and was then led by former Member of Parliament J.B. Jeyaretnam. He could have stood for election after he was discharged from bankruptcy and reinstated to the bar, however, Jeyaretnam died of heart failure on 30 September 2008 at the age of 82. His eldest son, Kenneth Jeyaretnam has since taken up leadership of the party and is now its secretary-general.

PartyLeaderVotes in GE2006Seats wonRemarksPeople's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong 80 seats at time of dissolution.Workers' Party Low Thia Khiang Including one Non-constituency Member of Parliament. Singapore Democratic Alliance Desmond Lim Alliance with Singapore Justice Party and Singapore Malay National Organisation parties. National Solidarity Party Goh Meng Seng Withdrew from the alliance in 2007. Singapore People's Party Chiam See Tong Withdrew from the alliance in 2010.Singapore Democratic Party John Tan Chee did not stand for the election. Reform Party Kenneth Jeyaretnam colspan=2

Electoral divisions

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee normally publishes an updated list of electoral divisions just before elections are called. Prior to the latest amendments, there were 14 GRCs, each with five or six seats, and nine Single Member Constituencies (SMC). There were a total of 84 seats being contested in the 2006 elections.

The new electoral map for 2011 was announced on 24 February 2011. The number of MPs to return has increased by three seats to 87, and four-member GRCs reappeared from the political map for the first time since its last appearance in 1997. Both Hong Kah and Jalan Besar GRCs were renamed into Chua Chu Kang and Moulmein-Kallang GRCs respectively, while three of five existing six-member GRCs were reduced to five seats each with Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol remained at six (these GRCs would eventually be reduced in 2020). With the population growth in Yishun and Simpang leading to the formation of Nee Soon GRC, there are a total of 15 GRCs this election, up by one from the last election. Only two constituencies of Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tampines were left untouched.

The number of SMCs have been increased by three to 12 for this election, with the introductions of Hong Kah North, Pioneer, Punggol East and Sengkang West, as well as returning SMCs of Mountbatten, Radin Mas, Whampoa and Yuhua after being part of GRCs in previous elections. In turn, Chua Chu Kang, MacPherson, Nee Soon Central, Nee Soon East and Yio Chu Kang were absorbed into neighbouring GRCs.

2006 2011 Seats 84 87 Electoral divisions 23 27 GroupRepresentationconstituencies Total GRCs 14 15Four-Member GRCs 0 2Five-Member GRCs 9 11Six-Member GRCs 5 2 Average GRC size 5.36 5.00 Single member constituencies912 Voters 2,158,704 2,347,198 Voters (overseas votes inclusive) 2,159,721 2,350,873

The changes made in the electoral divisions are as follows: Constituency Changes Aljunied GRC Absorbed portions of Kaki Bukit division from Marine Parade GRC, and a minor portion of Hougang SMCCarved out portions of Aljunied–Hougang division to Ang Mo Kio GRC, and a minor portion of Aljunied–Hougang and Bedok Reservoir-Punggol divisions to Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC Ang Mo Kio GRC Absorbed Aljunied–Hougang division (renamed to Ang Mo Kio-Hougang) from Aljunied GRC and Yio Chu Kang SMCAbsorbed a minor portion of Punggol South from Pasir Ris–Punggol GRCCarved out Nee Soon South division (excluding the Lentor area south of Seletar Expressway) into Nee Soon GRC, and Sengkang West division into SMC Chua Chu Kang GRC New ConstituencyFormed from a majority of Hong Kah GRC (except for Hong Kah North division, which carved into SMC), and Chua Chu Kang SMC East Coast GRC Carved a portion of Kampong-Chai Chee to Marine Parade GRC Holland–Bukit Timah GRC Ward downsized to four membersCarved out Buona Vista division into Tanjong Pagar GRC, a minor portion of Bukit Timah to West Coast GRC, and portions of Toh Guan to Jurong GRC Jurong GRC Carved out Yuhua division into SMCPortions of Jurong Central and Taman Jurong divisions, West Coast GRC and Hong Kah GRC were formed into Jurong Spring division Marine Parade GRC Ward downsized to five membersAbsorbed MacPherson SMC and a minor portion of Joo Chiat SMCPortions of Kaki Bukit and the entire Kampong Ubi-Kembangan divisions, and Kampong Chai Chee division from East Coast GRC were formed into Kembangan-Chai Chee divisionCarved out a portion of Kaki Bukit division to Aljunied GRC, and Mountbatten division into SMC Moulmein–Kallang GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Jalan Besar GRC (except for Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng division (excluding northern Hong Lim portions) which was absorbed into Tanjong Pagar GRC, and Whampoa division as a SMC), and Moulmein division from Tanjong Pagar GRC Nee Soon GRC New ConstituencyFormed from Nee Soon Central SMC, Nee Soon East SMC, Nee Soon South divisions from Ang Mo Kio GRC (excluding the Lentor area south of Seletar Expressway), and Canberra and Chong Pang divisions from Sembawang GRC Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC Carved out Punggol East division into SMC, and a minor portion of Punggol South division to Ang Mo Kio GRC Portions of Punggol Central and North divisions were formed into Punggol West division Sembawang GRC Ward downsized to five membersCarved out Canberra and Chong Pang to Nee Soon GRCPortions of Sembawang and Woodlands were formed into Woodgrove division. Tanjong Pagar GRC Ward downsized to five membersAbsorbed Buona Vista and Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng divisions from Holland–Bukit Timah GRC and Jalan Besar GRC, respectivelyCarved out Moulmein division into Moulmein–Kallang GRC, and Radin Mas division into SMCMerged Tanjong Pagar and Tiong Bahru divisions to form Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru division West Coast GRC Carved out portions of Pioneer division into SMC, while Jurong Industrial, Jurong Island, Gul Circle, Tuas and Joo Koon were transferred to Ayer Rajah divisionAyer Rajah-West Coast division were split into Ayer Rajah and West Coast divisions.

Nomination

Timeline Date Event 24 February Publication of Electoral Boundaries report 3 March Certification of Registers of Electors 19 April Dissolution of 11th Parliament; Writ of Election issued 22 April Deadline of Submission of Political Donation Certificates 27 April Nomination Day/First Live Political Party Broadcast 27 April – 5 May Campaigning Period 6 May Cooling-off Day/Second Live Political Party Broadcast 7 May Polling Day 11 May Overseas Votes Counting 16 May Candidates revealed for Non-Constituency Member of Parliament 21 May 12th Parliament assembled 10 October Opening of 12th Parliament

New candidates