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The role of surveillance technologies in elections

Kiean Khoo
Kiean Khoo • 2 min read
The role of surveillance technologies in elections
How can video surveillance technology help safeguard electoral integrity? Photo: Pexels
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As Singapore gears up for the 2025 General Election, upholding the sanctity of the electoral process is of paramount importance.

One of the key responsibilities of any government during elections is to protect voter privacy while also promoting transparency, preventing fraud, and fostering public trust. In this effort, advanced video surveillance systems have emerged as a critical component of election security, serving as a robust deterrent against irregularities and preserving electoral integrity.

In an evolving digital landscape, the risks to electoral integrity are growing. Striking the right balance between protecting voter privacy and ensuring a secure, transparent and fraud-free election is essential. It is critical that Singapore continues to uphold its robust electoral integrity and remain vigilant against the rising threats of digital fraud and ensuring a secure, trustworthy election environment. Within this context, video surveillance technology presents a non-intrusive yet highly effective solution to fortify these processes.

Video surveillance technology empowers election authorities with real-time visibility, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of the electoral proceedings. Strategically positioned cameras and sensors across polling stations, ballot transportation routes and vote-counting centres serve as a deterrent to misconduct and help identify issues as they arise. With AI-driven anomaly detection tools, any unusual activity can be flagged immediately, enabling prompt intervention by the authorities.

These efforts complement the broader push by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) to raise awareness of digital threats in the lead-up to the election. By building a more informed and resilient electorate, and combining that with robust detection systems, authorities can strengthen defences against both physical and cyber threats.

Looking ahead, the future of elections will likely be shaped by the seamless integration of digital technologies, with video surveillance representing an important step in that direction. Innovations such as AI-powered anomaly detection, real-time monitoring, and facial recognition will play a significant role in future elections. As electoral processes continue to embrace digital voting and electronic systems, these technologies can enhance transparency while reinforcing election security, creating a system that's resilient, trustworthy, and responsive to challenges in real time.

See also: Creator economy may be an election winner

Kiean Khoo is the Asia Business Head at Milestone Systems

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