An aggregate of 920 individuals representing community interests will be eligible to take part as voters in the upcoming by-election for a Legislative Assembly seat. The news was confirmed after the application period closed on 10 October for “legal-person” voters to register their representatives for the election.

The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election, Mr Tong Hio Fong, gave the information on Wednesday (16 October) after a meeting to discuss preparations for the 24 November by-election. It relates to a seat allocated to the industrial, commercial and financial sector, under the indirect election portion of Macao’s electoral system.

“Legal-person” voters refer to registered associations with voting power for the current Legislative Assembly by-election, i.e. officially registered under the industrial, commercial and financial sector. Each of the accepted legal-person voters had the right to submit a list with a maximum 22 individuals to vote on their behalf.

According to the administrative timetable for the election, the campaigning period for the by-election will run from 9 to 22 November. Mr Tong said that, as stipulated in the Legislative Assembly Election Law, the Commission was required – upon request from approved candidate teams – to provide opportunities to them during the campaigning period for the purposes of promotion. Such platforms included venues for presenting promotional materials, and radio and television airtime to promote their messages.

Mr Tong underlined that the Legislative Assembly Election Law also stipulated there was an obligation for candidate teams to notify the Commission regarding their intention for either: campaigning activities; or participation in events organised by associations and involving benefits for participants in such events. Associations linked to candidate teams should also notify the Commission regarding their intention to organise events involving benefits for participants in such events.

The Commission should be notified of any such intentions on or before 6 November, Mr Tong added.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Commission members met respectively with representatives of the Public Security Police Force and of the Printing Bureau, to discuss ballot paper design and arrangements relating to any transfer of an individual ballot.