The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election today inspected the polling station at Coloane Prison, a facility under the Correctional Services Bureau, to review its preparations and ensure that eligible inmates can legally exercise their right to vote on election day, i.e., 14 September.

The site inspection was conducted by the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Seng Ioi Man, and other Commission members. They were accompanied by the Acting Director of the Correctional Services Bureau, Mr Lei Iat Meng; the Acting Deputy Director, Ms Yu Pui Lam; the Director of Coloane Prison, Ms Lam Kam Sau; and the Acting Director of the Youth Correctional Institution, Mr Ieong Tang San. Ms Yu, who also chairs the Coloane Prison polling station committee, provided a briefing on the arrangements and voting procedures for inmates.

Mr Seng expressed gratitude for the Correctional Services Bureau’s cooperation regarding election-related arrangements. He noted that, as Coloane Prison relocated to new premises in 2024, this would be the first time the new facilities welcomed a polling station. The Electoral Affairs Commission’s focus, therefore, was on ensuring a seamless voting process for inmates. The Bureau confirmed that the station complied with the general standards for polling station arrangements, with operating hours and ballot secrecy protocols consistent with those of all other stations.

According to the existing legal framework, all qualified voters who have not lost their political rights – namely due to a court sentence – are entitled to cast a ballot. The establishment of a polling station at Coloane Prison ensures that the political rights of eligible inmates are upheld.

Additionally, the Electoral Affairs Commission, through the Correctional Services Bureau, has made available inside Coloane Prison a number of election-related materials, including summaries of the political platforms of each candidate list, as well as guidelines on proper voting procedures and ballot secrecy. This aims to enable eligible inmates to make an informed decision when casting their ballots on election day.