Election turnout ranks as third-lowest ever despite major efforts

The turnout for the direct suffrage of the Legislative Assembly (AL) election was the third-lowest ever, at 53.35%, the AL Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) announced after polling stations closed yesterday evening.

According to the results, only the elections of 2021 (42.38%) and 2001 (52.34%) recorded lower participation.

The result fell short of this year’s significant efforts, which aimed to reach a much higher turnout.

Among these efforts were appeals from the Chief Executive and other high-ranking officials, including CAEAL president Seng Ioi Man, for all civil servants to participate in the polls, as well as several initiatives undertaken by the six gaming concessionaires to encourage their workers to vote.

In the latter case, concessionaires offered free shuttle bus transportation for staff members, a work-free three-hour period, and a buffet for those who registered to use the gaming concessionaires’ service.

This cooperation between government authorities and the gaming concessionaires also included special arrangements for picking up and dropping off passengers from the gaming shuttle buses.

The government also arranged free public transport during the day for the general public, including public buses and Light Rapid Transit (LRT), an initiative not seen since the 2005 election, the second election since the Macau handover.

The recent results follow the highest turnout ever, reached during the 2017 elections when pro-democracy camps were allowed to participate.

At the time, pro-democracy groups elected Au Kam San, Ng Kuok Cheong, and Sulu Sou, the youngest lawmaker in the AL.

The lowest turnout was recorded four years later (2021) after the disqualification of all pro-democracy camps from the election, which led many residents to abstain from voting.

This year also saw two lists disqualified from the elections. One, led by lawmaker Ron Lam, was seen by many as an alternative to the traditional pro-Beijing groups that historically dominate the hemicycle seats.

Yesterday, a total of 175,272 voters cast their ballots, an increase of 37,991 compared to the 137,281 who voted in 2021, representing a 27.7% rise in voter participation.

The turnout rate also improved, rising from 42.38% in 2021 to 53.35% this year, an increase of 10.97 percentage points.

Indirect election sees over 88% turnout

As expected, the sectoral election, which elects 12 lawmakers, saw much higher turnout, reaching 88.12%. Of the 7,541 voters representing associations and groups, 6,645 cast their ballots.

The highest turnout was seen in the “Labor Sector” (97.04%), the only sector with two lists running, and consequently with some degree of unpredictability. Despite the number of candidates equaling the seats in the other four sectors, turnout was also high, well over 90%. As in previous years, the only exception was the “Culture and Sport” sector, where turnout was just 74.56%.

Over 2,600

inspections

The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) reported that by the close of polls, it had conducted 2,608 inspections on polling day, during which it received 15 complaints and 34 inquiries.

Since early March, the CCAC has received a total of 143 complaints and 145 inquiries, opening 26 criminal investigation files. Among these, four cases involve vote-buying and other election-related illegal activities.