An application for permission to form a nomination committee has been approved by the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election. It permits the formation of a candidate list for a by-election that is to be held for a Legislative Assembly seat.

The Commission Chairman, Mr Tong Hio Fong, gave the information to reporters after a meeting today regarding the by-election, which is to take place on 24 November. It relates to a seat allocated to the industrial, commercial and financial sector, under the indirect-election portion of the electoral system.

The application period for permission to form a nomination committee closed on Wednesday (28 August). The sector generated only one application to form a nomination committee.

The Legislative Assembly Election Law stipulates that for such a seat only nomination committees endorsed by recognised sectoral associations have the right to nominate candidate lists.

In remarks to reporters, Mr Tong said the nomination committee application received had been endorsed by 96 legal-person voters, representing more than the required minimum of 20 percent of the aggregate 107 legal-person voters registered under the industrial, commercial and financial sector.

The Commission would notify the trustees of the nomination team regarding the final decision on its legal status. Trustees of the group should submit – on or before 17 September – a candidate to stand in the election and the respective election platform.

Mr Tong went on to say that each of the 107 legal-person voters had the right to submit a list of maximum 22 persons to vote on their behalf. This meant the number of voters eligible for the by-election would depend on the number of voters decided by each legal-person voter.

The by-election is to be held at the Macau Forum building, according to an Executive Order published in the Macao SAR Gazette. Voting for the by-election will be held from 9am to 9pm on the day of polling, as stipulated by law.