Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong said yesterday that 22 lists have submitted registered voters’ signatures endorsing their respective candidacies in the upcoming direct legislative election to his commission, which so far has confirmed the validity of the candidacy of 16 of them.
However, of the 22 groups, two have meanwhile withdrawn from taking part in the direct election, Tong pointed out.
Tong made the remarks while speaking to reporters after chairing a regular closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo.
The direct and indirect legislative elections will take place on September 12.
The officially required maximum is 500 signatures of registered voters while the minimum number is 300. Each registered voter can only endorse one candidacy list.
According to Tong, his commission has not yet confirmed the candidacy validity of the other four lists due to certain faults , such as that the number of valid nominations is below the minimum of 300 required, of failing to indicate the lists’ names or logos in line with the official requirements.
According to Tong, one of the four lists has submitted supplementary documents to rectify the faults, while the other three lists are required to rectify their respective faults within five days after his commission has notified them of the flaws.
The 33-member Legislative Assembly (AL) comprises 14 deputies directly elected by universal suffrage, 12 deputies indirectly elected by association representatives and seven deputies appointed by the chief executive after the direct and indirect elections.
Candidacy validity of all 5 indirect election lists confirmed
The legislature’s 12 indirectly-elected seats comprise four seats representing the city’s industrial, commercial and financial sector, three seats from the professional sector, two seats from the labour sector, two seats from the cultural and sports sector, and one seat from the social services and educational sector.
Tong also said that five lists have submitted registered voters’ signatures endorsing their respective candidacies in the upcoming indirect election to the commission, which has confirmed the candidacy validity of all of them.
The fact that only five lists have submitted nominations for the indirect election of the five sectors’ seats in the legislature means that all candidates are slated to be elected uncontested.
Macau’s elections are held in accordance with the proportional representation system.
Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong (third from right) briefs reporters yesterday after a closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo, as fellow commission members Inês Chan Lou (first from left), Iong Kong Leong (second from left), José Maria da Fonseca Tavares (third from left), Lai U Hou (second from right) and Kou Peng Kuan look on. Photo: GCS
