The voter registration deadline for the next direct and indirect legislative elections, which are slated to take place in September 2017, should be extended from December 31 this year to around three months prior to the yet-to-be-announced election day, legislator-cum-unionist José Pereira Coutinho said yesterday.
Speaking to The Macau Post Daily in a telephone interview, Coutinho said he believed that more residents, especially young people, would register to vote if the time gap is shortened, acknowledging that his suggestion would be impossible without amending the Voter Registration Law. He also slammed the government for not putting enough effort into encouraging residents to submit their voter registration applications.
Asked about the government’s ongoing one-month public consultation on its legislative election amendment bill, Coutinho said the consultation document released earlier this month failed to address many core issues.
A scooter drives past the Legislative Assembly (AL) in Nam Van yesterday. Photo: Davis Ip
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