Singapore September 11th 2015 elections

[Famous Mortimer]

Rough guide to the parties:

People's Action Party (79 seats): Ruling party since forever. Started out vaguely socialist but has since become technocratic centrist/conservative.

Workers' Party (9 seats): Formerly socialist now social democratic party which has come in second place in terms of votes (and usually seats) in every election since 1968, with the exception of 2001. 2001 marked a split in the party caused by a leadership change and a move towards the center.  Although it has since recovered its second place position.

Singapore Democratic Party (0 seats): Liberal party founded in 1980. Tied for second place in terms of seats in 1984 (it and the Workers' Party each had one seat), won second place in terms of seats in 1988 (again with 1 but the Workers' Party won 0), and again won second in 1991 (3 seats to the WP's 1). The party suffered a split in the mid 90s and what remains is the less pro-government result of that split.

Singapore People's Party (1 seat): Liberal party created in 1994 by a split in the Singapore Democratic Party. The Singapore People's Party is led by former Singapore Democratic Party chairman Chiam See Tong. Chaim opposed new SDP leader Chee Soon Juan's more critical attitude towards the government. Under the Chaim's leadership, the SPP formed the Singapore Democratic Alliance, which came in second in terms of votes and seats in the 2001 election. The SPP has since withdrawn from that alliance though.

National Solidarity Party (0 seats): Minor party that was member of the Singapore Democratic Alliance when it came in second in 2001.

Singapore Democratic Alliance (0 seats): Former electoral alliance of the Singapore People's Party, which came in second in 2001. At its height, it included 4 parties: The SPP, the National Solidarity Party, the Singapore Justice Party, and the Singapore Malay National Organization. The SPP and the National Solidarity Party have since withdrawn. Not sure why it continues to exist. Supposedly the Singapore Justice Party and the Mayal party are still members. Its leader is a former SPP member though.

Reform Party (0 seats): Liberal party founded in 2008 by J. B. Jeyaretnam, who was chairman of the Workers' Party from 1971 until 2001. After stepping down, he broke with the new Workers' Party leadership, feeling they had moved to far to the right. Then then proceed to bizarrely found an even less left-win party. Although there were other issues at play, with Jeyaretnam being more anti-government than the new WP leaders. Jeyaretnam died shortly after founding the Reform Party and was replaced as leader by his son Kenneth. Interesting, the Jeyaretnams are of Sri Lankan Tamil descent.

Singaporeans First (0 seats): New Party founded by Tan Jee Say. Tan was originally a personal secretary to the Prime Minister. He later joined the opposition and was a parliamentary candidate for the Singapore Democratic Party (again, the more anti-government liberal party) and then the third place candidate in the 2011 non-partisan presidential election.

People's Power Party (0 seats): New party founded by former National Solidarity Party leader Goh Meng Seng. It is obsessed with Sun Yat-sen.

[Famous Mortimer]

To sum it up even more:

People's Action Party: government
Workers' Party: pro-government centre left
Reform Party: anti-government formerly centre left
Singapore People's Party: pro-government liberal
Singapore Democratic Party: anti-government liberal
Singaporeans First: government defectors
Everyone else: irrelevant

[Famous Mortimer]

Some facts on Singapore election system

1) All Singaporeans who are 21 or over have to vote on election day or stand to lose their right to vote in subsequent polls. A list of people who didn't vote is published by the elections department after the ballot, and offenders are removed from the register of electors. Getting back on the ledger is possible only if you have a valid reason for not having voted, like delivering a baby, or are willing to pay S$50 ($35).

2) Singapore has one of the shortest official campaign periods in the world. This year, candidates will get nine days, the minimum required by the constitution, to woo voters. The country also observes a cooling off day, where no campaigning is allowed on the eve of polling day.

3) It is illegal to publish the results of an election survey or conduct exit polls once an election is called, offenses punishable with up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine not exceeding S$1,500.

4) The government created multi-member wards in 1988 where voters elect a group of candidates instead of an individual. The system requires parties to field as many as six candidates, including at least one of a minority ethnicity. While some have argued the rule makes it harder for smaller opposition parties to field candidates, it also resulted in the removal of then-foreign minister George Yeo in 2011 when the ruling People's Action Party lost in his district (Aljunied Group Representation Constituency) in the general election.

5) Singapore also reserves parliamentary seats for Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, who are the "best-losers'' among the opposition candidates. The system ensures a minimum number of opposition members of parliament after each election. While NCMPs are entitled to vote on most issues, they don't represent any particular district. There were three in parliament before it was dissolved for the upcoming election.

The Singapore People's Party one MP is a Non-Constituency member.

[Famous Mortimer]

What's the seat count right now?