05:55 AM Aug 21, 2010
SINGAPORE - In what appears to be a step closer to the General
Election, some 860 void decks or precinct pavilions have been
reserved for use as polling stations.
Of these, 660 have been reserved as backups, including for
locations that had been earlier identified for use as polling
stations such as schools and community clubs, said the Elections
Department on Friday.
The department was responding to MediaCorp's queries. Its
spokeswoman added that each of these locations will be reserved
until a better alternative - for instance a school, CC or new void
deck - is available.
The spokeswoman said: "(The) Elections Department will predetermine
the location for the polling stations and reserve the specific void
deck (or precinct pavilion) with HDB. The reservation is long-term,
to ensure that the site is available anytime an election is
called."
The presidential election is due by next August and the General
Election is due by February 2012.
Meanwhile, the department has also requested quotations for the
supply, subscription and maintenance of commercial off-the-shelf
software. These are specialised software that can be used with
little or no modification.
Last month, the department issued a tender document for the
purchase of at least 1,000 mobile broadband devices and SIM cards,
as well as video collaboration services, which will be used at
electoral premises. These would enable election officials to make
video calls to one another.
The department has also bought 8,500 trays that can be used to hold
voting slips, beefed up its hotline and e-mail system, and arranged
a telephone etiquette course for staff. ALICIA WONG
Source: TODAY Online
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100821-0000077/Void-decks-reserved
