SINGAPORE, Sept 12 — About two to three hours after the polls closed yesterday, Singaporeans already had a sense of what the results would be, with sample counts being right on the money for most constituencies. The first sample count — for Bukit Panjang SMC — was released at about 9.40pm, less than two hours after voting ended at 8pm.

Sample results for the other 12 SMCs were gradually released after that, with the ruling People’s Action Party projected to clinch all but Hougang, including the SMCs of Fengshan — a closely watched battleground — and Punggol East, which was held by Lee Li Lian of the Workers’ Party since January 2013.

Across the board, sample results reflected official results, with a margin difference of less than two percentage points in all constituencies save for the three-cornered fight in MacPherson SMC, which was just above that.

For example, the PAP candidate for Fengshan, Cheryl Chan, was projected to take 57 per cent of votes and ended up with 57.52 per cent. Charles Chong, the PAP’s Punggol East candidate, won 51.76 per cent of votes after he was projected to win 51 per cent.

It was the first time sample counts were made public. Derived from a count of 100 ballot papers from each polling station, this was meant to discourage unnecessary speculation and prevent people from relying on hearsay before the count was concluded.

In past polls, Election Department officers conducted sample counts for internal use as a check against the final outcome. Then, in the 2011 Presidential Election, candidates observed the sample counting process and were provided with the counts on request.

Analysts TODAY spoke to felt generally that sample counts could give voters and candidates an inkling of where the results were heading.

Dr Felix Tan of SIM Global Education said there were two ways to look at it: It would “eliminate, or at the very least, reduce, the possibility of speculation of how much has the vote swung,” but it could also “give supporters (of the parties) a shock factor.”

“It can be rather demoralising for some supporters and candidates, but for others, a boost to know that their party/candidate(s) are doing exceptionally well,” he added. “But the sample count doesn’t really explain much, especially for constituencies that are too close to call, such as Punggol East.”

Political scientist Lam Peng Er of the National University of Singapore’s East Asia Institute said any early release of information was useful, given that it is practised in other democracies such as Japan. “The sample counts, when they first came out, might have been very shocking to everyone — even the most optimistic of PAP supporters,” he added.

On the impact of sample counts on the ground, sociologist Tan Ern Ser said it meant “less tension is built up through the night.” As the night wore on, some WP supporters who gathered at coffee shops went from enthusiastic to disheartened. Those in Fengshan and Punggol East were disappointed by the PAP’s wins.

Said Fendi Chan, who watched the results at the Bedok Ave 2 Blk 123 coffee shop: “I feel that someone needs to stand up and speak for us in Parliament. However, maybe we can see what the PAP candidate can do for Fengshan for the next five years.”

In contrast, the mood at Hougang, which the WP held, was more upbeat, with supporters banging on tables, cheering when the party’s candidates came on television and booing when PAP candidates did. — TODAY