section_path: Electoral system
section_name: Electoral system
paragraph_text: Electoral system
  
  Under Article 65(4) of the Singaporean Constitution, a parliamentary term lasts a maximum of five years from its first sitting before its automatic dissolution. However, the Prime Minister, with a vote of confidence from a majority of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), can advise the President for early dissolution at any time. A general election must be held within three months of dissolution.
  
  Electoral Divisions (also referred to as seats in Parliament) are organised into Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) and Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). Each SMC returns one MP using the first past the post voting system, while each GRC returns four or five MPs by party block voting. At least one candidate in the GRC must be from the Malay, Indian or other minority community in Singapore. A group of candidates intending to contest an election in a GRC must all be members of the same political party, or a group of independent candidates. The voting age in Singapore is 21 years. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department (ELD), a department under the Prime Minister's Office.
  
  The Returning Officer for this election is Han Kok Juan, the Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).