Campaign starts, lists urged to use the time to present their ideas and political platforms

The chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election (CAEAL), Seng Ioi Man, expressed hopes that all candidate lists will gain voter support through active exchanges and interactions during the 14-day campaigning period ending Sept. 12.

Seng’s remarks were made at the ceremony that kicked off the election campaign on Saturday (Aug. 30), where he also urged the candidates to convey their political platforms and visions for serving Macau.

Seng officiated the ceremony, which was also attended by the Commissioner Against Corruption, Ao Ieong Seong.

In his address, the chairman of CAEAL emphasized the importance of candidates utilizing designated venues and platforms to showcase their political visions. He encouraged voters to engage actively with the campaigning done by candidate lists, understand candidates’ platforms, and vote on election day.

“By voting, the community as a whole will contribute to forming the new-term Legislative Assembly, ensuring the steadfast implementation of the ‘One country, two systems’ principle, and further solidifying the ‘patriots governing Macau’ principle,” he stated.

At the same time, Seng added that all electoral procedures have been progressing in a lawful and orderly manner, calling on all members of society to uphold electoral integrity, adhere to the Legislative Assembly Election Law and CAEAL’s guidelines, and ensure a fair, just, and clean electoral environment.

Representatives from six direct- and indirect-election candidate lists presented their platforms at the ceremony. The launch-day event also featured information booths, simulated voting, and a temporary post office counter offering a commemorative postmark and envelopes.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Seng affirmed the current orderly campaign environment and expressed hope that all candidate lists and their electioneering teams maintain compliance with regulations.

He also assured that the CAEAL and other authorities would continue to monitor campaign activities to ensure the legality of all procedures.

Election FAQs

As the election campaign continues, the Times brings you the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the elections, the campaign, and polling day.

Elegibility

Question (Q): Who can vote in the Sept. 14 elections?

Answer (A): All Macau permanent residents 18 or older and registered voters on or before December 31, 2024.

If citizens registered to vote only on January 1, 2025, or after that date, their registration will not be included in the voter registry published in January 2025. As such, they are not eligible to vote or run for office.

Q: Do employees of private companies need to notify their employer in advance of their candidacy and obtain the employer’s authorization?

A: No. The Legislative Assembly (AL) Election Law does not require employees to notify their employer before their candidacy and obtain their authorization. Under Article 40 of the AL Election Law, candidates are entitled to leave of absence from their public or private duties for a period not exceeding 60 days.

Candidates may apply to the CAEAL for a certificate proving their status as candidates and request leave from their employer by presenting the certificate.

Employers must allow candidates to be exempt from their duties for 60 days before the election date in compliance with the AL Election Law.

Election Campaign

Q: Is it necessary to give prior notice of meetings, rallies, demonstrations, or parades held for electoral purposes during the election campaign period?

A: The representative must notify CAEAL of the content, date, and location of any electoral propaganda activities that the representative, candidates, or members of the candidacy committee will organize, except for activities whose notification is provided for in the Law on the Right of Assembly and Demonstration.

Under the AL Election Law, “election campaigning” means any activity carried out by any means that is capable of disseminating a message and cumulatively meets the requirements of drawing the public’s attention to one or more candidates; suggesting, either explicitly or implicitly, that voters vote or refrain from voting for that candidate or those candidates.

Q: During the election campaign period, must a declaration be submitted reporting all activities intended to hand out benefits?

A: According to Article 75-C of the AL Election Law, all activities aimed at handing out benefits, organized inside or outside the Macau SAR, must be declared to the CAEAL from the 15th day before election day until election day.

Therefore, only activities aimed at handing out benefits organized between August 30 and September 14, 2025, should be declared.

Polling Day

Q: Is it legal to provide vehicles to transport voters on election day?

A: The AL Election Law does not prohibit the provision of transportation services by vehicle on election day, as long as that it does not in any way establish a connection with electoral propaganda, solicit votes, or suggest, either explicitly or implicitly, that voters vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate or candidacy, whether through gestures, stickers, words, among other means, under penalty of committing a crime.

Q: Are blank votes illegal?

A: No. Any voter can leave their ballot blank if they do not wish to vote in any of the groups listed. Blank votes are also not null or spoiled votes.

The blank vote is the one whose ballot does not contain any marks or signs, while the null or spoiled vote is defined by the ballots that contain marks or signs in more than one square, doubts in which square the vote mark has been placed, or ballots with damage or any other marking sign besides the one made by the rubber stamp.

While it is not illegal to leave the ballot blank – to write, draw, or intentionally damage the ballot is a crime.

Like null or spoiled ballots, blank ballots do not count in assigning seats to the groups running in the election.