Almost half the number of seats were uncontested in this GE and PAP was one seat away to forming the government on nomination day. This was also the debut of the newly-founded SDP that was to wax and wane in years to come. The school streaming system and former PAP Minister Phey Yew Kok's embezzlement of trade union funds were the main issues of this GE. Phey, who jumped bail and disappeared, had his Boon Teck seat vacated on 2 April 1980 but no by-election was called as a GE was impending. The Electoral Boundaries Delineation Committee report, submitted to the government on 2 June 1980, was read on 25 June and passed on 29 July in Parliament in that year. For the first time, no independent candidates emerged. Consecutively, election deposit increased again but less drastically this time. PAP achieved a four-in-a-row and final clean sweep of all Parliament seats and its share of votes went up for the second time to achieve the party's second-highest score after the 1968 GE.
4th Parliament dissolution: 5 December 1980 [Fri]
Nomination day: 13 December 1980 [Sat]
Polling day: 23 December 1980 [Tue]
5th Parliament convention: 3 February 1981 [Tue]
Eligible voters: 1,290,426
Voters in walkover constituencies: 605,285 (46.9%)
Total voters: 685,141 (53.1%)
Total voter turnout: 654,295 (95.5%)
Election deposit: $1,500 (+$300)
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