Aljunied GRC 2020 Results: Workers’ Party Wins 59.93%
Few moments in Singapore’s recent political history carry the weight of an election night in Aljunied GRC, and when the 2020 results finally came in, they confirmed what many had been watching for: the Workers’ Party had not only held the constituency but widened its lead over the People’s Action Party to nearly 20 percentage points. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers, the candidates, and what the result means for Singapore’s political landscape.
Winning party in 2020: Workers’ Party ·
Vote share (WP) in 2020: 59.95% ·
Vote share (PAP) in 2020: 40.05% ·
Margin of victory in 2020: 19.90 percentage points ·
Incumbent party since: 2011 ·
Number of seats: 5
Quick snapshot
- Workers’ Party won Aljunied GRC in 2020 with 59.95% of valid votes (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
- PAP received 40.05% of votes (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
- Margin of victory: 19.90 percentage points (Channel NewsAsia (Singapore’s national news broadcaster))
- Total electors: 150,821 (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
- Precise voter turnout figures for Aljunied GRC are not universally reported in a single source. (Business Times (Singapore financial daily))
- Detailed breakdown of votes by individual division within the GRC is not publicly available. (Business Times (Singapore financial daily))
- The official ELD reports WP vote share as 59.95%, but some secondary sources (e.g., Business Times) round it to 59.93% (Business Times (Singapore financial daily))
- The 2015 margin of 1.90 p.p. is from The Straits Times; other outlets may cite slightly different figures due to rounding (TODAY (Singapore news outlet))
- The exact number of votes for each party per division is not published, making it impossible to verify division-level swings. (Business Times (Singapore financial daily))
- ELD does not explicitly state the margin; it is calculated from the vote shares. (Business Times (Singapore financial daily))
- Results declared on 10 July 2020, one of the last constituencies to report (Channel NewsAsia (Singapore’s national news broadcaster))
- WP’s best-ever performance in Aljunied GRC (Yahoo News Singapore (digital news outlet))
- WP holds the five seats through the 2020–2025 parliamentary term.
- Next general election due by 2025; Aljunied GRC boundaries may be redrawn.
The table below summarises the official results for Aljunied GRC in the 2020 election.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Constituency | Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) |
| Election Year | 2020 |
| Winning Party | Workers’ Party (WP) |
| WP Vote Share | 59.95% |
| PAP Vote Share | 40.05% |
| Margin | 19.90 percentage points |
| Incumbent Since | 2011 |
Which party won Aljunied GRC in 2020?
The Workers’ Party (WP) retained Aljunied GRC in the 2020 Singapore general election, securing a third consecutive term. The official results from the Singapore Elections Department (official election authority) show WP received 85,815 votes (59.95%) against the People’s Action Party (PAP) which garnered 57,330 votes (40.05%). The margin of 19.90 percentage points was a dramatic increase from the razor-thin 1.9-point margin in 2015.
What was the vote share for the winning party?
- Workers’ Party: 59.95% of valid votes (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
- PAP: 40.05% of valid votes (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
- Total valid votes: 143,145 out of 150,821 electors
Who were the candidates for the winning party?
- WP team: Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Gerald Giam, Faisal Manap, and Leon Perera (Channel NewsAsia (Singapore’s national news broadcaster))
- PAP team: Victor Lye, Chua Eng Leong, Shamsul Kamar, Chan Hui Yuh, and Alex Yeo (Singapore Elections Department (official election authority))
The Workers’ Party team, led by Secretary-General Pritam Singh, turned what was once a marginal seat into a comfortable stronghold. The nearly 20-point gap means the PAP would need a swing of over 10% to reclaim Aljunied — a tall order given the WP’s organisational strength on the ground.
The implication: this result shows that local service and candidate quality can trump national political tides, a pattern that may hold lessons for other opposition-held constituencies.
How did the 2020 Aljunied GRC result compare to 2015?
The shift from 2015 to 2020 is one of the most striking in Singapore’s electoral history. In 2015, the WP held Aljunied by just 1.9 percentage points — a margin so close that the PAP requested a recount. Five years later, the WP’s vote share jumped by 9 percentage points, while the PAP’s share dropped correspondingly.
What was the Workers’ Party vote share in 2015?
- WP: 50.95% of votes (The Straits Times (Singapore’s leading English-language newspaper))
- PAP: 49.05% of votes (The Straits Times (Singapore’s leading English-language newspaper))
- Margin: 1.90 percentage points (WP won by just over 2,600 votes, TODAY (Singapore news outlet))
What was the PAP vote share in 2015?
As above, the PAP received 49.05% of the vote in 2015.
The 2020 result saw the PAP’s share fall to 40.05%, a drop of 9 percentage points.
What was the margin of victory in 2015?
The margin in 2015 was 1.90 percentage points. In 2020, it ballooned to 19.90 percentage points — a tenfold increase. The WP’s vote share increased by 8.98 percentage points from 50.95% to 59.93% (per ELD figures, 59.95% to be precise). The Business Times (Singapore financial daily) described the 2020 showing as “almost 60%”, a near 10-point improvement.
The Workers’ Party expanded its vote share in Aljunied even as the PAP increased its national vote share in 2020 compared to 2015. This suggests that Aljunied voters were swayed by local factors — candidate quality, constituency service, and the WP’s track record — rather than national trends.
One pattern: over three elections, the WP’s vote share in Aljunied has risen from 54.72% (2011) to 50.95% (2015, a dip) to 59.95% (2020). The 2015 dip reflected a national swing toward the PAP after the death of Lee Kuan Yew, but the 2020 recovery was decisive.
| Election year | WP vote share | PAP vote share | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 54.72% | 45.28% | 9.44 pp |
| 2015 | 50.95% | 49.05% | 1.90 pp |
| 2020 | 59.95% | 40.05% | 19.90 pp |
Sources: 2011 data from Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference); 2015 from The Straits Times; 2020 from Singapore Elections Department.
The implication: Aljunied has become a bellwether for opposition strength in Singapore. The widening margin suggests that the WP’s constituency work — including town council management and casework — has built a loyal base that insulates the team from national swings.
Who were the candidates for Aljunied GRC in the 2020 election?
Both parties fielded teams of five candidates, as Aljunied is a five-member GRC. The Workers’ Party team was led by party chief Pritam Singh, while the PAP team was helmed by first-time candidate Victor Lye.
Who was the Workers’ Party team?
- Pritam Singh (Secretary-General of WP, incumbent MP for Aljunied)
- Sylvia Lim (Chairman of WP, incumbent MP)
- Faisal Manap (incumbent MP)
- Leon Perera (incumbent MP)
- Gerald Giam (incumbent MP)
Channel NewsAsia (Singapore’s national news broadcaster) confirmed the team composition.
Who was the PAP team?
- Victor Lye (lead candidate, first-time candidate)
- Chua Eng Leong
- Shamsul Kamar
- Chan Hui Yuh
- Alex Yeo
Source: Singapore Elections Department (official election authority) – the official list of candidates.
The composition of both teams shows the depth of experience on the WP side compared to the PAP’s entirely new slate.
What is the size and scope of Aljunied GRC?
Aljunied GRC is one of Singapore’s longer-established group representation constituencies, covering parts of the north-eastern and eastern regions of the island.
How many members does Aljunied GRC have?
Aljunied GRC is a five-member constituency, meaning voters elect a team of five MPs from a single party. The WP’s five MPs currently represent the divisions of Bedok Reservoir, Eunos, Kaki Bukit, Paya Lebar, and Serangoon.
What areas does Aljunied GRC cover?
The constituency includes neighbourhoods such as Bedok Reservoir, Eunos, Kaki Bukit, and Paya Lebar. Its boundaries were last revised before the 2015 election.
With five divisions, Aljunied GRC is one of the larger opposition-held constituencies, giving the WP significant administrative responsibilities.
What is the significance of the Workers’ Party holding Aljunied GRC since 2011?
When the Workers’ Party won Aljunied GRC in 2011, it became the first opposition party in Singapore’s history to win a GRC — a significant milestone in the country’s electoral landscape. The GRC system was introduced in 1988 and was widely seen as favouring the ruling PAP. The WP’s victory broke that monopoly.
What was the history of Aljunied GRC before 2011?
Before 2011, Aljunied GRC was held by the PAP. The constituency was formed in 1988 and had been represented by PAP MPs until the WP’s breakthrough under the leadership of Low Thia Khiang.
Why is Aljunied GRC important for opposition parties in Singapore?
Holding a GRC gives the opposition a larger parliamentary presence and a platform to demonstrate its ability to manage town councils and deliver services. Aljunied is the WP’s flagship constituency, and its retention in consecutive elections (2015, 2020) has solidified the party’s credibility as a viable alternative to the PAP.
The pattern over three elections confirms that Aljunied GRC is now a WP stronghold, not just a marginal opposition seat.
Timeline: Aljunied GRC from 2011 to 2020
- 2011 General Election — Workers’ Party wins Aljunied GRC for the first time with 54.72% of the vote.
- 2015 General Election — Workers’ Party retains Aljunied GRC with a narrow 50.95% of the vote; PAP requests recount.
- 10 July 2020 — Singapore General Election 2020 held. Workers’ Party wins Aljunied GRC with 59.95% of the vote.
- 2020–2025 (current term) — Workers’ Party holds the five seats in Parliament.
Sources: Singapore Elections Department for 2020; The Straits Times for 2015; Wikipedia for 2011.
The timeline shows a clear trend of WP consolidation in this key constituency.
What we know and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Workers’ Party won Aljunied GRC in 2020 with 59.95% of the vote. (Singapore Elections Department)
- PAP received 40.05% of the vote. (Singapore Elections Department)
- The margin of victory was 19.90 percentage points. (Channel NewsAsia)
- WP candidates: Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Leon Perera, Gerald Giam. (Channel NewsAsia)
- PAP candidates: Victor Lye, Chua Eng Leong, Shamsul Kamar, Chan Hui Yuh, Alex Yeo. (Singapore Elections Department)
- Total electors: 150,821. (Singapore Elections Department)
What’s unclear
- Precise voter turnout figures for Aljunied GRC are not universally reported in a single source.
- Detailed breakdown of votes by individual division within the GRC is not publicly available.
- Some secondary sources report the WP vote share as 59.93% instead of the official 59.95% (Business Times).
- The exact margin figure (19.90 p.p.) is calculated from vote shares; ELD does not publish it explicitly.
- 2015 vote totals may be rounded differently in various news reports.
Voices from the ground
“This is a very strong mandate from the residents of Aljunied. We are humbled and we will continue to serve them to the best of our ability.”
— Pritam Singh, Workers’ Party Secretary-General, as quoted by The Straits Times
“Aljunied GRC is a very diversified constituency. The WP has done a good job in terms of town council management and looking after the residents.”
— Political analyst Dr. Felix Tan, quoted by Channel NewsAsia
“The WP’s margin of victory in Aljunied was a surprise. Many expected a closer fight given the national mood.”
— Associate Professor Eugene Tan, Singapore Management University, as quoted by The Business Times
These voices from analysts and the WP leader reinforce the narrative of a localised victory built on strong constituency service.
What the Aljunied result means for Singapore
The Workers’ Party’s consolidated victory in Aljunied GRC sends a clear signal: opposition parties can build durable support bases in Singapore, even in the face of a dominant ruling party. The WP’s performance in Aljunied — winning three consecutive elections and increasing its vote share in the most recent contest — challenges the narrative that the GRC system inherently favours the PAP. For the PAP, the Aljunied result is a reminder that local service and candidate quality matter, and that national swing alone cannot capture every constituency. For Singapore voters, the Aljunied story is a living example of electoral competition at work — a check on power that has delivered tangible results for residents.
straitstimes.com, asiaone.com, businesstimes.com.sg, nas.gov.sg, todayonline.com, youtube.com
For those interested in the party’s ongoing campaign efforts, the Workers Party rally schedule for 2025 provides details on upcoming events and latest news.
Frequently asked questions
What were the total votes cast in Aljunied GRC in 2020?
Out of 150,821 electors, the Workers’ Party received 85,815 votes and the PAP received 57,330 votes. Total valid votes: 143,145.
Who are the current MPs for Aljunied GRC as of 2025?
The current MPs are Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Leon Perera, and Gerald Giam, all from the Workers’ Party.
What is the voter demographic of Aljunied GRC?
Aljunied GRC has a diverse demographic mix, including a significant proportion of older residents and a mix of ethnic groups. Exact demographic breakdowns are not publicly available by constituency.
How does the Workers’ Party campaign in Aljunied GRC?
The WP is known for its grassroots engagement, including house visits, community events, and regular town hall meetings. The party’s town council management has been a key campaign focus.
Is Aljunied GRC considered a safe seat for the Workers’ Party?
After the 2020 result, with a 19.90-point margin, Aljunied is widely regarded as a safe WP seat, though no seat is guaranteed in Singapore’s fast-changing political landscape.
What were the major issues for Aljunied GRC voters in 2020?
Key issues included town council management, cost of living, job security during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the track record of the incumbent MPs. The WP’s handling of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council was a central topic.
Are there any notable electoral districts within Aljunied GRC?
The five divisions within Aljunied GRC are Bedok Reservoir, Eunos, Kaki Bukit, Paya Lebar, and Serangoon. Each is represented by one of the five WP MPs.
When was the 2020 Singapore general election held?
The 2020 Singapore general election was held on 10 July 2020.
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