Hougang Single Member Constituency

The constituency was first formed prior to the 1988 general election and won by the People's Action Party (PAP). PAP's hold over Hougang SMC would only last three years when during the 1991 general election, the PAP lost the seat to Low Thia Khiang against an almost 12% swing to the Workers' Party (WP).

From 1991 to 2011, it was one of the only two opposition-held (i.e. non-PAP) seats in Parliament alongside Potong Pasir SMC, which was held by the Singapore People's Party (SPP) Chiam See Tong. Low contested in the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) – and won – during the 2011 general election and was succeeded by Yaw Shin Leong, who retained the seat by defeating PAP candidate Desmond Choo with 65% of the vote.

On 15 February 2012, Yaw was expelled from the party for personal indiscretions, triggering a by-election.[1] He was succeeded by Png Eng Huat, who retained the seat for the party with 62.1% of the vote.[2] Png retired prior to the 2020 general election; the WP candidate Dennis Tan Lip Fong retained the seat in that election with 61.2% of the vote.[3]

The seat is located in the North-East Region of the country, with the closest train station being the namesake Hougang MRT station on the North East Line, although the station itself is not located within the SMC but the adjacent Aljunied GRC – which also consists of WP MPs. The Hougang Community Club and the Hougang Neighbourhood Park is located within the constituency.

The constituency's location is almost entirely an enclave within Aljunied GRC, except for the Hougang ActiveSG Sports Centre which consists of Hougang Stadium, a sports hall and swimming pool that comes under Ang Mo Kio GRC.[4] The constituency has been considered by political analysts as a stronghold for the WP, having been retained by the party since 1991.[3]

Note : Elections Department Singapore do not include rejected votes for calculation of candidate's vote share. Hence, the total of all candidates' vote share will be 100%.

Elections in 1990s

General Election 1991: Hougang[9][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	10,621	52.82	N/A
	PAP	Tang Guan Seng	9,487	47.18	11.78
Majority			1,134	5.67	12.25
Registered electors			21,476		1.05
Total valid votes			20,108	97.77	0.4
Rejected ballots			458	2.23	0.4
Turnout			20,566	95.76	0.42
	WP gain from PAP		Swing	11.78

General Election 1997: Hougang[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,458	58.02	5.2
	PAP	Heng Chee How	9,736	41.98	N/A
Majority			3,722	16.04	10.37
Registered electors			24,423		13.72
Total valid votes			23,194	98.68	0.91
Rejected ballots			311	1.32	0.91
Turnout			23,505	96.24	0.48
	WP hold		Swing	5.2

Elections in 2000s

General Election 2001: Hougang[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	12,070	54.98	3.0
	PAP	Eric Low	9,882	45.02	N/A
Majority			2,188	9.96	6.08
Registered electors			23,320		4.52
Total valid votes			21,952	98.67	0.01
Rejected ballots			295	1.33	0.01
Turnout			22,247	95.4	0.84
	WP hold		Swing	3.0

General Election 2006: Hougang[15][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,989	62.74	7.76
	PAP	Eric Low	8,308	37.26	7.76
Majority			5,681	25.48	15.52
Registered electors			23,759		1.88
Total valid votes			22,297	98.77	0.1
Rejected ballots			277	1.23	0.1
Turnout			22,574	95.01	0.39
	WP hold		Swing	7.76

Elections in 2010s

General Election 2011: Hougang[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Yaw Shin Leong	14,850	64.8	N/A
	PAP	Desmond Choo	8,065	35.2	N/A
Majority			6,785	29.6	4.12
Registered electors			24,560		3.37
Total valid votes			22,915	98.87	0.1
Rejected ballots			261	1.13	0.1
Turnout			23,176	94.36	0.65
	WP hold		Swing	2.06

By-election 2012: Hougang[19][20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Png Eng Huat	13,460	62.08	N/A
	PAP	Desmond Choo	8,223	37.92	2.7
Majority			5,237	24.16	5.44
Registered electors			23,368		4.85
Total valid votes			21,683	98.66	0.21
Rejected ballots			295	1.34	0.21
Turnout			21,978	93.9	0.4
	WP hold		Swing	2.7

General Election 2015: Hougang[21][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Png Eng Huat	13,012	57.69	4.39
	PAP	Lee Hong Chuang	9,543	42.31	N/A
Majority			3,469	15.38	8.78
Registered electors			24,097		3.12
Total valid votes			22,555	98.96	0.3
Rejected ballots			236	1.04	0.3
Turnout			22,791	94.58	0.18
	WP hold		Swing	4.39

Elections in 2020s

General Election 2020: Hougang[23][24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Dennis Tan	15,451	61.21	N/A
	PAP	Lee Hong Chuang	9,791	38.79	3.52
Majority			5,660	22.42	7.04
Registered electors			26,432		9.69
Total valid votes			25,242	98.93	0.03
Rejected ballots			272	1.07	0.03
Turnout			25,514	96.53	1.95
	WP hold		Swing	3.52