The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election has received a total of 15 application forms for the endorsement of nomination committees, as of the submission deadline at 5.30pm today.
Of the aggregate, nine applications related to the direct-election process and six to the indirect-election process.
Those nomination committees with confirmed status can submit to the Electoral Affairs Commission a list of candidates, and their political platform for the 8th Legislative Assembly Election. The deadline for supplying that information is 26 June.
Eligible voters and sectoral voters can exercise their electoral rights on 14 September, when Legislative Assembly seats, available to 14 directly-elected members, and 12 indirectly-elected members, will be contested.
The Electoral Affairs Commission made available from 6 March – coinciding with the start of the application window – application forms for endorsement of nomination committees.
At present, the Electoral Affairs Commission is working to expedite the verification for all nomination committees and will finalise decisions on their legal status by 15 June.
After receiving the list of candidates from each nomination committee, the Electoral Affairs Commission will initiate verification procedures to assess candidates’ eligibility and compliance with submission requirements. Specifically, the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Regions (MSAR) will determine whether candidates uphold the Basic Law, and pledge allegiance to the MSAR of the People's Republic of China.
For candidates deemed non-compliant, the Committee for Safeguarding National Security will issue binding review opinions to the Electoral Affairs Commission. Any Electoral Affairs Commission decisions to disqualify candidates will be based on the review by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security. Such decisions cannot be appealed against or challenged in court. The Electoral Affairs Commission will complete verification of candidate lists by 15 July at the latest.
Subsequently, the Electoral Affairs Commission will strictly adhere to Legislative Assembly Election Law to advance election procedures, particularly implementing the revised electoral law to reinforce the principle of “patriots governing Macao”. This ensures voters can contribute to forming the new-term Legislative Assembly through a fair, just, and corruption-free electoral process.