Completed application form for nomination committee regarding Legislative Assembly Election should be submitted at earliest opportunity

MACAU, May 20 - The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election today issued a reminder that 6 June is the deadline for submitting an application form for the endorsement of a nomination committee. That relates to endorsement of those intending to form a nomination committee and run for the Legislative Assembly Election, which is to be held on 14 September.

After a work meeting today, the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election, Mr Seng Ioi Man, told reporters that as of the afternoon today – coinciding with end of the work meeting – the Electoral Affairs Commission had yet to receive any completed application form for the endorsement of a nomination committee.

With fewer than three weeks remaining before the 6 June deadline, Mr Seng urged those intending to stand in the election to submit their application forms at the earliest opportunity if they have secured 300-plus signatures from eligible voters for their nomination committee. This would enable the Electoral Affairs Commission to review the legitimacy of the relevant nomination committee.

Mr Seng also issued a reminder that before submitting an application form, relevant trustees should check whether the relevant voters had correctly filled in their details; and whether any voter had signed up for more than one application form. According to the Legislative Assembly Election Law, each voter can only sign up to be a member of one nomination committee. If a voter signs up for more than one nomination committee, all their pledges will be considered invalid.

The Electoral Affairs Commission would make an announcement by 8 June at the latest, regarding whether any nomination-committee application was considered not to have conformed to the required conditions and regulations. Relevant trustees would be notified and be given five days to correct any deficiencies. Otherwise, the Electoral Affairs Commission would decline to confirm the legality of the relevant nomination committee.

The Electoral Affairs Commission will – by 15 June at the latest – decide whether either to confirm or reject the legality of applied-for nomination committees, and will notify the relevant trustees the next day. Relevant trustees may file by 17 June an appeal to the Court of Final Instance, in the event their application is rejected. The court will then be required to make a definitive ruling within five days.

Only nomination committees with confirmed status can submit their respective list of candidates and their political platform to the Electoral Affairs Commission. The deadline for that is 26 June.

After receiving lists of candidates, the Electoral Affairs Commission would begin its verification process, reviewing the candidates’ eligibility and whether their submitted information complied with the regulations.

According to the Legislative Assembly Election Law, a decision on whether a candidate upheld the Basic Law of Macao and were loyal to the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) of the People’s Republic of China, should be made by the MSAR’s National Security Committee. The National Security Committee is responsible for issuing a binding review to the Electoral Affairs Commission for those deemed not to meet the criteria. Any Electoral Affairs Commission decisions to disqualify candidates are based on the National Security Committee’s review. Such decisions cannot be appealed against or challenged in court. The Electoral Affairs Commission will make a decision on the verification of candidate lists by 15 July at the latest.

In addition, the Electoral Affairs Commission issued a reminder that if voters wish to update their residential address on the voter register, they should do so by 31 May, through either: the Macao One Account platform; the voter registration webpage; the self-service kiosks for public services; or in person at the election affairs reception counter. This will allow the Electoral Affairs Commission to ensure allocation of a polling place convenient to their current residence, and ensure they will be able to receive the poll notice sent by the Electoral Affairs Commission.

So far in 2025, more than 6,200 voters have updated their residential address on the register. The Electoral Affairs Commission thanked them for their cooperation and their support regarding the electoral work.