PAP spent $9.4m on GE2025 campaign against $3.6m by opposition parties

Almost half went to non-online advertising such as posters and banners

- Goh Yan Han and Ng Wei Kai

Candidates spent slightly over $13 million at the 2025 General Election in a bid to garner votes from Singaporeans, with almost half of this going to non-online advertising such as posters and banners.

Online advertising made up about 16 per cent of total costs, while political parties also spent a combined $1.7 million — or about 13 per cent — on physical rallies, which made a return after being ruled out at the last general election due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The remainder of the spending went to other costs such as office rental, equipment, supplies and transport.

Overall, spending by parties increased by about 42 per cent from the 2020 General Election, where total expenditure was $9.2 million. But the proportion spent on online advertising dropped from 2020, when it was 22 per cent.

A total of 211 individuals took part in the May 3 polls, and the full list of election expenses was posted on the Elections Department (ELD) website on June 27 for public inspection.

The ruling People's Action Party spent the most — $9.4 million in its contests for all 97 seats in the House — against a combined $3.6 million from the 10 opposition parties and two independent candidates.

The Workers' Party spent the most out of opposition parties, forking out a total of $1.6 million for its 26 candidates.

Next up was the Singapore Democratic Party, which spent $583,440 for its 11 candidates, followed by the Progress Singapore Party, which spent $441,548 for 13 candidates.

ELD had earlier released two tranches of election expenses for public inspection online. The filings are available for six months from the date they are put online.

Most parties spent more in 2025 than at the last general election.

The PAP's spending increased from $6.97 million on 93 seats at GE2020, while the WP more than doubled its spending from $705,647 then.