Constituencies of Singapore

Constituencies in Singapore are electoral divisions which may be represented by single or multiple seats in the Parliament of Singapore. Constituencies, also called (electoral) divisions, are classified as either single-member constituencies (SMCs) or group representation constituencies (GRCs). An SMC is represented by a single Member of Parliament (MP) while a GRC can have anywhere between three and six (in practice, four or five) seats in Parliament.

Group Representation Constituencies

In 1988, the People's Action Party (PAP) introduced Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) through an amendment to the Parliamentary Elections Act.Now the The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister and guided by the Elections Department, may establish GRCs consisting of three to five electoral wards. The maximum size of GRCs has varied over time: initially three candidates, increasing to four in 1991, six between 1997 and 2020, and then reduced to five from the 2020 elections onwards.

GRCs are a unique feature of Singaporean electoral politics, consisting of multi-member constituencies where teams, or slates, of candidates from a single party or independents compete for all available seats. Each GRC team must include at least one candidate from a minority race, such as a Malay, Indian, or Other.Hussin Mutalib, 'Constitutional-Electoral Reforms and Politics in Singapore', Legislative Studies Quarterly 21 (2) (2002), p. 665. Voting within GRCs follows a plurality voting system, where the party or group winning the most votes in a GRC secures all seats within that constituency. As a result, a party can accumulate a significant number of votes nationally but still fail to win certain GRCs. Historically, the PAP held all GRC seats until 2011.Elections types - electoral , accessed 18 Apr 2025. The official purpose of GRCs, as explained by former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, is to ensure minority representation in Parliament and maintain a multiracial composition.Hussin Mutalib, 'Constitutional-Electoral Reforms and Politics in Singapore', Legislative Studies Quarterly 21 (2) (2002), p. 664.

Response

Opposition parties have criticised that the GRC system in making it more difficult for non-PAP candidates to win seats in Parliament. The high candidate deposit, which ranges from S$4,000 to S$16,000 and was most recently set at S$13,500 per candidate, increases the financial burden on opposition parties contesting GRCs. Additionally, the inclusion of Cabinet Ministers as candidates in GRCs is viewed as an advantage for the PAP, a strategy that has been employed in vulnerable constituencies such as Cheng San GRC during the 1997 Singaporean general election.Hussin Mutalib, 'Constituational-Electoral Reforms and Politics in Singapore', Legislative Studies Quarterly 21 (2) (2002), p. 666. The opposition has also raised concerns about last-minute boundary changes and has pointed to examples such as Joshua Benjamin Jeyaratnam's 1981 win in the Anson constituency, arguing that minority representation in Parliament has diminished since the GRC system was introduced.

The boundaries of electoral constituencies in Singapore are set by the Elections Department, which functions under the Prime Minister's Office.Alex Au Waipang, 'The Ardour of Tokens: Opposition Parties' Struggle to Make a Difference', in T.Chong (eds), Management of Success: Singapore Revisited (Singapore, 2010), p. 106. These boundaries are typically announced shortly before elections, often only a few days before the election is officially called.Diane K. Mauzy and R.S. Milne, Singapore Under the People's Action Party (London, 2002), p. 143. Some observers have expressed concern over this process, particularly regarding the dissolution of constituencies where opposition parties had performed well.Bilveer Singh, Politics and Governance in Singapore: An Introduction (Singapore, 2007), p. 172.

One frequently cited example in discussions about electoral boundary adjustments is Cheng San GRC. In the 1997 Singaporean general election, it was contested closely by the PAP and the Workers' Party of Singapore (WP), with the PAP winning 54.8% of the vote to WP’s 45.2%. Following the 2001 Singapore general election, Cheng San GRC was dissolved. Despite the challenges faced by opposition parties, the WP has since achieved success in winning GRCs, notably Aljunied GRC in the 2011 Singapore general election and Sengkang GRC in the 2020 Singaporean general election.

Current electoral map (2025 – present)

, the number of electors in the latest Registers of Electors is 2,758,095.

Group Representation Constituencies (2025) Constituency Seats District Prefix Minority representation Electorate Polling DistrictsWards Aljunied5AJMalay144,27651 Bedok Reservoir–Punggol, Eunos, Kaki Bukit, Paya Lebar, Serangoon Ang Mo Kio5AMIndian or other161,49455 Ang Mo Kio–Hougang, Buangkok–Fernvale South, Cheng San, Seletar–Serangoon, Teck Ghee Bishan–Toa Payoh4BSMalay98,67935 Bishan East–Sin Ming, Toa Payoh Central, Toa Payoh East, Toa Payoh West–Thomson Chua Chu Kang4CKMalay93,51235Polling districts AJ53, AJ54, CK01, CK02, EC42, HT40, JR47, MY14, PS11 and WE27 have to share polling stations near each other to optimise demand. Brickland–Tengah, Chua Chu Kang, Keat Hong, Tengah East Coast5ECMalay151,02453 Bedok, Changi–Simei, Fengshan, Joo Chiat, Kampong Chai Chee Holland–Bukit Timah4HTIndian or other123,16940 Bukit Timah, Cashew, Ulu Pandan, Zhenghua Jalan Besar4JBMalay106,32742 Kampong Glam, Kolam Ayer, Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng, Whampoa Jurong East–Bukit Batok5JEIndian or other142,72848 Bukit Batok, Bukit Batok East, Clementi, Hong Kah North, Yuhua Marine Parade–Braddell Heights5MHMalay131,78947 Braddell Heights, Geylang Serai, Kembangan, MacPherson, Marine Parade Marsiling–Yew Tee4MYMalay119,51641 Limbang, Marsiling, Woodgrove, Yew Tee Nee Soon5NSIndian or other151,83650 Chong Pang, Nee Soon Central, Nee Soon East, Nee Soon Link, Nee Soon South Pasir Ris–Changi4PCMalay100,70632 Changi, Pasir Ris Central, Pasir Ris East, Pasir Ris West Punggol4PGIndian or other123,77843Punggol Coast, Punggol North, Punggol Shore, Punggol West Sembawang5SBMalay134,10346 Admiralty, Canberra, Naval Base, Sembawang Central, Woodlands Sengkang4SKMalay126,80841 Anchorvale (WP) / Sengkang West (PAP), Buangkok (WP) / Sengkang Central (PAP), Compassvale (WP) / Sengkang North (PAP), Rivervale (WP) / Sengkang East (PAP) Tampines5TMMalay148,09855 Tampines Boulevard, Tampines Central, Tampines East, Tampines North, Tampines West Tanjong Pagar5TPIndian or other140,07552 Buona Vista, Henderson–Dawson, Moulmein–Cairnhill, Telok Blangah, Tanjong Pagar–Tiong Bahru West Coast-Jurong West5WJIndian or other158,81754 Ayer Rajah, Boon Lay, Jurong Spring–Gek Poh, Nanyang, Taman Jurong, West Coast

Single Member Constituencies Constituency Seats District Prefix Electorate Polling Districts Bukit Gombak1BG26,4187 Bukit Panjang1BP33,594 12 Hougang1HG29,466 9 Jalan Kayu1JK29,62010 Jurong Central1JU29,66912 Kebun Baru1KR22,251 9 Marymount1MR23,264 7 Mountbatten1MB22,831 7 Pioneer1PI25,195 9 Potong Pasir1PS30,959 10 Queenstown1QT28,90511 Radin Mas1RM25,559 11 Sembawang West1SE24,1927 Tampines Changkat1TC24,0329 Yio Chu Kang1YK25,404 9

Constituencies of Singapore

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