Ballots, Bins, and Bytes: Rethinking the Environmental Footprint of Elections in Singapore

Singapore recently concluded another round of general elections. As always, the process felt both familiar and strangely analog. We showed up, queued, verified our identity, and were handed a small slip of paper to mark our vote. Then, we dropped it into a ballot box, like countless citizens before us.

In a world where almost everything has gone digital — from banking to paying for drinks — why are we still voting with paper? And, more importantly, what’s the environmental cost of doing so?

A Hidden Footprint Behind the Ballot

Each general election in Singapore mobilises an immense logistical operation. Ballot papers are printed for every eligible voter, including reserves. Thousands of polling stations are outfitted with booths, seals, signage, and disposable materials, many of which are used for just one day.

Post-election, much of this material is discarded. While some items are reusable, a significant portion—particularly the printed collateral and election materials, including candidate posters—ends up as waste. While specific data on the environmental footprint of Singapore’s elections is limited, it is reasonable to infer that the use of paper ballots, disposable materials, and other single-use items contributes to waste generation.

This raises the uncomfortable question: in our bid to uphold democratic processes, are we overlooking sustainability?

Why Can’t We Vote Online?

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It’s a fair question. After all, we can access our CPF records, buy insurance, and file taxes online with Singpass. Estonia, a country often hailed for its digital infrastructure, has allowed online voting since 2005. Their i-Voting system lets citizens vote through a secure portal, re-vote if needed, and authenticate themselves via a national ID card with a digital chip (basically, Singpass on steroids).

And yes, technically, it has worked. Estonia’s system is widely praised for its convenience, especially for citizens overseas. But critics have pointed out that while no major breaches have been reported, the system could still be vulnerable to undetected attacks in the event of serious cyberwarfare.

Here’s the key takeaway: when it comes to voting, trust is everything. A glitchy experience or an unexplained delay — even if unintentional — can erode confidence overnight.

A Reality Check from Around the World

Several countries have flirted with digital voting — and some have paid the price:

• United States (2020, Iowa): An app called Shadow was deployed to report caucus results. It failed catastrophically, suffering from technical issues, including a coding error that caused only partial data to be reported. But that was enough to spark chaos, memes, and conspiracy theories.
  
  
• Australia (2021, New South Wales):In the 2021 New South Wales local elections, Australia’s iVote online voting system experienced technical problems, leading to the cancellation and rerun of elections in some areas. The issues were attributed to system failures and inadequate stress testing.
  
  
• Switzerland: Despite its high trust in digital governance, Switzerland halted a national e-voting rollout after ethical hackers discovered serious flaws. They pulled the plug — wisely.

Even Singapore, with our Smart Nation ambitions, would have to tread carefully. It’s not just about technology readiness but also about inclusivity. Past instances of overzealous digitalisation pushes have led to certain groups being excluded.

‍A digital-only system may disadvantage seniors, low-income families, or those with limited digital literacy. That is a democracy no one wants.

Paper Isn’t Perfect — But It’s Trusted

As "unsexy" as paper ballots may seem, they are surprisingly resilient. To rig a paper vote, you’d need to physically tamper with ballots, forge documents, or manipulate boxes — all of which are harder to do quietly and harder to scale. In contrast, a digital vulnerability could affect thousands of votes in seconds and, more concerningly, invisibly.

On the other hand, physical voting offers emotional assurance. There is something deeply human about showing up, queuing with neighbours, casting your vote, and seeing your ballot disappear into a box. It feels real (some may claim it to be ceremonial), but it is a shared civic experience that most of us only have once every few years.

‍In a world saturated with screens, that tangibility builds confidence and is also hard to forget.

The Bigger Picture: Trust vs Trash 

Even as we aim to minimise waste, elections are one of the clearest examples of how trust and sustainability can sometimes pull in different directions. We recognise that going green may not be the absolute priority in many instances.

Yet, is it possible to reduce the environmental cost of elections while preserving trust? Absolutely! Although not with a binary mindset. Instead, here are a few areas worth exploring:

• Design for Reuse: Can booths, seals, and signage be modular and reused across election cycles?
  
  
• Minimise Single-Use Materials: Instead of using paper for every single notice at polling stations, can non-critical information be shared using digital screens? This could allow for up-to-date information to be shared in the event of last-minute changes (e.g., queue situations).
  
  
• Hybrid Models: For overseas Singaporeans or certain populations, secure digital voting may still be an option — reducing the need for mailed ballots or international travel.
  
  
• Lifecycle Audits: Consider conducting transparent environmental audits post-election to identify waste hotspots and improve planning.

Parting Thoughts

At its core, voting is about trust. But in an age of climate urgency, we must start asking: Can we design national processes—including elections—that earn both trust and sustainability cred?

Singapore has the capability, discipline, and infrastructure to lead by example—not by going all-digital blindly, but by innovating thoughtfully, measuring impact, and including everyone in the process. These learnings could also apply to other national events, such as National Day.

At the end of the day, an election isn’t just a choice between candidates; it’s a reflection of the kind of society we want to be.

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