SINGAPORE — Voting is in progress in Singapore’s general election, with over 48% of registered voters having cast their ballots by noon on Saturday, according to the Election Department.

As of 12 p.m. local time (0400GMT), more than 1.26 million Singaporeans had voted, the Straits Times reported. Polls opened at 8 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong cast his vote at his Evans Road constituency in Bukit Timah.

The election marks his first as head of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has held uninterrupted power since Singapore’s independence in 1965.

Roughly 2.76 million Singaporeans are eligible to vote in this five-year election cycle. Voting is compulsory in the city-state, where turnout has averaged 94.2% since 2001.

A total of 211 candidates from 11 political parties are contesting 97 parliamentary seats.

The PAP is the only party fielding candidates in all constituencies. Its main rival, the Workers’ Party, is vying for 26 seats.

The election spans 33 constituencies—17 multi-member group representation constituencies (GRCs) and 15 single-member constituencies (SMCs). Five seats have already been secured by the PAP in an uncontested GRC, marking the first walkover since 2011.

Most constituencies feature straight fights, with only five seeing three-party contests. Campaigning officially began on April 15, giving parties a brief nine-day window to reach voters.

The PAP is widely expected to maintain its parliamentary majority, though opposition parties are aiming for incremental gains, particularly in urban areas where cost-of-living concerns are mounting.

Final results are expected late Saturday, though official confirmation may follow after all ballots — including overseas and postal votes — are counted. — Agencies