If you’ve ever wondered whether you get a day off on election day in Singapore, the short answer is yes: Polling Day is a public holiday under Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, as confirmed by the Ministry of Manpower for the 3 May 2025 general election. That means standard public‑holiday pay rules kick in, but what you actually receive depends on your work schedule and the day of the week.
Polling Day Status: Public holiday under Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act · Last Polling Day: 3 May 2025 (Saturday) – declared a public holiday by MOM · Next Scheduled Election: 2026 (date to be announced) · Legal Basis: Parliamentary Elections Act 1954, Section 35 · Cooling Off Day: Not a public holiday (eve of polling day) · Effect on Non-Working Day: No automatic off‑in‑lieu; consult MOM guidelines
Quick snapshot
- Polling Day is a public holiday by law – Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Ministry of Manpower, Singapore)
- MOM officially declared 3 May 2025 a public holiday (Ministry of Manpower, Singapore)
- Cooling off day (eve of polling) is not a public holiday (Ministry of Manpower, Singapore)
- Whether employees who do not work on Saturday receive a day off in lieu when polling day falls on a Saturday — MOM has not issued a blanket rule; case‑by‑case under the Employment Act (MOM FAQ)
- 10 Jul 2020 – General election polling day (Friday) – public holiday (MOM press release)
- 1 Sep 2023 – Presidential election polling day (Friday) – public holiday (MOM press release)
- 3 May 2025 – General election polling day (Saturday) – public holiday (MOM press release)
- 2026 – Next general election due – polling day to be announced (Parliamentary Elections Act)
- Next general election must be held by 2026; polling day will be announced by the Prime Minister and President (Parliamentary Elections Act)
- MOM will issue a public‑holiday declaration for that day, consistent with past practice (Parliamentary Elections Act)
Seven entries in the key facts table show the legal skeleton and employee protections at a glance.
| Attribute | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Year of last polling day | 2025 (3 May) | MOM press release |
| Day of week | Saturday | MOM press release |
| Declared by | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) | MOM press release |
| Public holiday? | Yes | Section 35, Parliamentary Elections Act |
| Cooling off day before | 2 May 2025 (Friday) – not a public holiday | MOM (only Polling Day listed) |
| Legal basis | Section 35, Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 | Singapore Statutes Online |
| Employee entitlement | Paid public holiday under Employment Act | MOM FAQ |
| Work on public holiday | Extra day’s salary or day off | MOM press release |
Is Polling Day a Public Holiday in Singapore?
Legal basis under the Parliamentary Elections Act
- Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA) says: “The President may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint the day on which polling shall take place and that day shall be a public holiday.” (Singapore Statutes Online – PEA)
- The provision applies to both general elections and presidential elections.
This single sentence is the entire legal engine. Once the President gazettes the date, it becomes a public holiday with the same legal force as National Day or Deepavali. No special order from the Ministry of Manpower is needed to make it a holiday — the Act itself does that. MOM’s role is to confirm the classification and explain how employer obligations work.
Polling Day is not a discretionary holiday granted by employers. It is a statutory public holiday, meaning any employee covered by the Employment Act must receive holiday pay or time off as if it were any other gazetted holiday.
MOM official statements on recent polling days
“Polling Day, Saturday 3 May 2025, is a public holiday.”
Ministry of Manpower (Singapore’s labour regulator) – press release, 15 April 2025
MOM’s 2025 announcement repeated the same language used for the 2020 general election and the 2023 presidential election. In every case, the message was identical: treat Polling Day like any other public holiday. MOM’s FAQ on Polling Day reinforces this, stating plainly that employers must give a paid public holiday.
The implication: the legal framework leaves no ambiguity — Polling Day is a holiday regardless of which day of the week it falls on. The only variable is how the employee’s normal schedule interacts with it.
Is Cooling Off Day a Public Holiday?
Definition of cooling off day
- Cooling off day is the day immediately before Polling Day, during which all election campaigning is prohibited.
- Its purpose is to let voters reflect without last‑minute canvassing.
Cooling off day is not designated as a public holiday in any gazette notification. When the MOM announced the 3 May 2025 election, it only declared 3 May (Polling Day) a public holiday; 2 May was not included. There is no separate law that grants cooling off day holiday status.
Difference from polling day
The core distinction is legal status: Polling Day is a statutory public holiday; cooling off day is a regular working day. Employees who are asked to work on cooling off day are not entitled to public‑holiday pay. The only special rule on cooling off day is that no election advertising or campaigning may take place — it has nothing to do with employment entitlements.
The trade‑off: cooling off day exists to protect the integrity of the vote, not to give workers a day off. If your employer treats it as a holiday, that’s a company policy, not a legal requirement.
What Does Polling Day Mean?
Purpose of polling day in Singapore elections
“Polling Day is a public holiday to facilitate voting.”
Ministry of Manpower (Singapore’s labour regulator) – FAQ
The intention is simple: make it easier for citizens to cast their ballots by giving everyone a paid day off. Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the holiday ensures that employees are not forced to choose between work and voting.
Who gets to vote
- All Singapore citizens aged 21 and above with a registered address are eligible to vote in general and presidential elections.
- Voting is compulsory in Singapore (Elections Department Singapore – eld.gov.sg).
Because voting is mandatory, the public‑holiday status becomes more than convenient — it removes a practical barrier. The earlier step in the election timeline is explained in What Is Nomination Day?
The catch: while the day is a holiday, not every employee has the same experience. Those who work in essential services or shift schedules may still need to report to work, with compensation governed by public‑holiday rules.
When Is Election Day in Singapore?
Upcoming election dates (2025, 2026)
- Most recent: 3 May 2025 (Saturday) – general election polling day (MOM press release)
- Previous: 1 Sep 2023 (Friday) – presidential election; 10 Jul 2020 (Friday) – general election (MOM press release)
- Next: The general election is due by 2026; the date will be announced by the Prime Minister and the President.
Election dates are not fixed on a calendar; the Prime Minister advises the President to dissolve Parliament within five years of its first sitting. Once dissolved, the elections must be held within three months.
How election dates are set
The process is governed by the Constitution of Singapore and the Parliamentary Elections Act. The Prime Minister recommends a date to the President, who then issues a writ of election and, separately, gazettes the polling day. That gazette notification automatically triggers Section 35, making the date a public holiday. No separate MOM proclamation is legally required — MOM’s role is to inform the public and clarify employment obligations.
The pattern: all three recent polling days were declared public holidays without exception. The legal machinery works the same way every time.
What Happens If Polling Day Falls on a Weekend?
Is there an off-in-lieu for Saturday or Sunday polling day?
- MOM’s FAQ states: “If Polling Day is a non‑working day for the employee, the employee is entitled to either a day off or salary in lieu.” (MOM FAQ)
- However, if the employee does not normally work on that day (e.g., a Saturday for a 5‑day week employee), there is no automatic entitlement to an additional day off in lieu. The employer may grant one, but it is not required.
The 3 May 2025 case is instructive: it fell on a Saturday, a non‑working day for many office workers. MOM’s press release did not mandate a replacement holiday for those employees. Instead, MOM advised that normal public‑holiday rules apply — meaning the employee is entitled to a paid holiday, but if they wouldn’t have worked that day anyway, they receive the paid holiday without an extra day off.
Employees who are not scheduled to work on the day the public holiday falls do not automatically get another day off. This is a common point of confusion. The only guarantee is that the day itself is paid — not that you get a replacement rest day.
Employee entitlements under the Employment Act
If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, the law provides two options: either an extra day’s salary (at the basic rate) or a day off in lieu. For higher‑earning workmen (above S$4,500/month) and non‑workmen (above S$2,600/month), as well as all managers and executives, employers may also offer time‑off‑in‑lieu on a mutually agreed basis instead of extra pay (MOM press release). For related guidance on pay schedules and entitlements, see Singapore Payout Dates 2025.
The bottom line for the 3 May 2025 weekend scenario: employees who worked on Saturday received either an extra day’s pay or a replacement day off. Employees who did not work received a paid day — but no additional day in lieu.
The consequence for shift workers and weekend staff is straightforward: public‑holiday rules apply as usual. The only ambiguity concerns off‑in‑lieu for non‑working employees, which MOM leaves to individual employment contracts and collective agreements.
Summary
Singapore’s Polling Day is a statutory public holiday, period — no matter the day of the week. The legal foundation is Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, and MOM’s repeated announcements confirm that employers must treat it like any other public holiday. The real nuance lies in weekend scenarios: if you don’t work on Saturday, you still get a paid day, but you’re not automatically owed a replacement day off. For employees in Singapore, the takeaway is clear: know your schedule, check your contract, and if in doubt, consult MOM’s official FAQ — because the rules are written, but the application depends on your working hours.
The complete list of Singapore’s 2025 public holidays, which includes polling day, can be found in Singapores 2025 public holidays.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5th May a public holiday in Singapore?
5 May is not automatically a public holiday. Public holidays are set by MOM annually. In 2025, 3 May (Saturday) was Polling Day and a public holiday; 5 May was not a holiday unless it fell under another gazetted date.
Will there be a polling day in 2026?
Possibly. The next general election must be held by 2026, so a polling day is expected. The exact date will be announced by the Prime Minister and President.
How is polling day declared?
The Prime Minister advises the President, who issues a writ of election and gazettes the polling date. That gazette, per Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, automatically makes it a public holiday.
What is the difference between polling day and cooling off day?
Polling Day is the day of voting and a public holiday. Cooling off day is the preceding day — no campaigning allowed but not a public holiday. Employees have no special holiday entitlement on cooling off day.
Do all employees get a holiday on polling day?
Yes, all employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to a paid public holiday on Polling Day, regardless of whether they would normally work that day.
If I work on polling day, do I get extra pay?
Yes. You are entitled to either an extra day’s salary or a day off in lieu. Higher‑earning employees may also negotiate time‑off‑in‑lieu instead of extra pay.
What if polling day coincides with another public holiday?
That scenario is extremely rare because polling day is declared ad hoc. If it occurred, MOM would issue separate guidance. Typically, the employee would be entitled to one holiday for that day.