More an endorsement than an election

The election for the Chief Executive (CE) Election Committee happened yesterday with some 6,265 registered voters representing over 500 local associations and groups being called to vote.

The balloting occurred between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 11) with many voting in the first half of the nine-hour period.

Until 2 p.m. the Electoral Affairs Commission saw a turnout of 70.55% of voters (4,420) with this figure increasing to 83.64% (5,240 voters) by 4 p.m.

Over the whole day, the sub-sector of “Labor” saw a higher turnover, reaching about 84% by 2 p.m.

At closing time (6 p.m.) 88.12% (5,520) had voted, making it the highest turnout for this type of election.

Although there was a very high participation rate, these elections served mostly to endorse many of the candidates as the number of candidates equaled the number of seats in all the sectors and sub-sectors but two.

Only the sub-sectors of “Education” and “Labor” had a real election, as there were four candidates more than the number of seats available.

In total, 344 of 348 candidates were elected.

From these, as the CAECE had previously noted, almost 35% (120 candidates) were newcomers to this election, although they were not unknown.

Among those running for the first time were the former CE, Chui Sai On, the president of the Macau Institute of Management, Samuel Tong, as well as the president of the Macau Catering Industry Association, Lei Iam Leong, the lawyer Jorge Neto Valente, former public broadcaster TDM executive committee chairman Manuel Pires and emcee, presenter, and entertainer José Chan Rodrigues.

The president of the Confraria da Gastronomia Macaense [Macanese Cuisine Confraternity], Carlos Anok Cabral was another new name, as were architect André Ritchie and translator Manuela de Sousa Aguiar.

João Paes d´Assumpção, Eurico de Jesus, and Daniela de Souza Fão were also on the list of candidates for the first time.

Besides the members elected yesterday, the CE Election Committee also includes 12 local delegates to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and 14 representatives to the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, names that include the former CE, Edmund Ho, and businessmen Lawrence Ho and Lao Nga Wong.

The Election Committee also includes representatives from religious associations and municipal bodies as well as 22 of the 33 Legislative Assembly (AL) members who were chosen in an internal election.

Considering that the AL’s president, Kou Hoi In, is already a member via the NPC seat as are the lawmakers Chui Sai Peng, and Si Ka Lon, very few of AL lawmakers were left out.

Among those who will not be part of the CE Electoral Committee is lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho.

Final results will only be known today

Although the election and the vote counting happened yesterday, with a preliminary result already revealed, the elections for the members of the CE Election Committee will only become final today, being presented in a ceremony at the CAECE headquarters.

Present at the ceremony will be representatives from all the associations and groups that listed candidates but that will not have voting rights on any of the CAECE decisions.

At the event, they may present complaints, protests, or counter-protests related to the work of CAECE concerning vote counting.