920 voters eligible for by-election participation

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 (AL) seat, according to the Government Information Bureau, which confirmed the number after the registration period for voters closed on October 10.
The by-election has been organized for November 24, and relates to a seat allocated to the industrial, commercial and financial sector, under the indirect election portion of Macau’s electoral system.
The law requires a by-election to be held to fill the seat left vacant by Chief Executive-elect Ho Iat Seng, who resigned from the AL earlier this year.
During a gathering on Wednesday, the Commission met 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.
According to the administrative timetable for the election, the campaigning period for the by-election will run from November 9 to 22.
The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election, Tong Hio Fong, said that the Commission was required by law to provide opportunities for campaigning during the period. Such opportunities included venues for presenting promotional materials, and radio and television airtime to promote their messages.
However, in order to monitor such activities and ensure they are legal, candidate teams must notify the Commission of their campaigning. Associations linked to candidate teams should also notify the Commission regarding their intention to organize events involving benefits for participants. The Commission should be notified of any such intentions on or before November 6. DB