Arrangements in place to ensure CE Election runs smoothly

MACAU, October 12 - The polling station and all election arrangements are ready for tomorrow’s (Sunday’s) Chief Executive Election, in order to ensure the process goes smoothly.

The President of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election, Ms Song Man Lei, made the remarks today, after reviewing preparations at the polling station.

The Chief Executive Election is to be held tomorrow morning at the conference hall of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex. The polling station has a total of 32 polling booths – two fitted with ease-of-access features – and eight ballot boxes.

After Chief Executive Election Committee members cast their respective vote, there will be the process of counting, reading aloud the vote cast, declaring vote tallies, and vote verification.

Ms Song issued a reminder to members of the Chief Executive Election Committee that they should bring tomorrow to the polling station, in order to gain entry, their Macao Permanent Resident Identity Card and their committee-member pass issued by the Electoral Affairs Commission.

According to Guideline 2/CAECE/2024, Chief Executive Election Committee members are required to use the designated stamps provided by the Electoral Affairs Commission, which will be made available inside each polling booth. A vote would be considered invalid if marked with a stamp or pen other than the designated stamp; or the ballot were either torn, altered, or showed unauthorised marks.

The guideline also specifies that members of the Chief Executive Election Committee must ensure the secrecy of the vote and, immediately after marking the ballot paper, place it in a ballot box.

There is also a prohibition on use within the polling station of mobile phones – or other electronic devices with recording or photographic functions – for the purposes of recording the voting intentions expressed on the ballot either by members of the Chief Executive Election Committee or any third parties. Anyone violating the prohibition may face liability for an aggravated offence as specified in Clause 2 of Article 312 of the Penal Code.

Also, the Chief Executive Election Law stipulates that a voter or member of the Chief Executive Election Committee is not allowed to disclose his or her vote or voting intention either inside the polling station or within a distance of 100 metres from the building where the polling operation is located. There is no justifiable excuse for attempting to force any voter to reveal his or her vote or voting intention. Any violation may constitute an offence.