The Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) said yesterday that on the first day of the two-week official election campaign period for the upcoming direct and indirect legislative elections, it will hold a ceremony marking the electioneering period’s commencement while also enabling the candidacy groups to publicise their political platforms at the same time.
The 2025 direct and indirect legislative elections will take place on September 14.
Before polling day on September 14, the 14-day official election campaign period will run from August 30 and September 12. No electioneering is allowed on the eve of polling day and on polling day.
More specifically, the campaign period will start at 00:00 on August 30 and end at 11:59 p.m. on September 12.
Speaking to reporters after chairing a regular closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo yesterday, CAEAL President Seng Ioi Man noted that no ceremony was held marking the official start of the campaign period for the direct and indirect legislative elections four years ago as Macau was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at that time.
A ceremony was held marking the official start of the campaign period for the 2017 direct and indirect legislative elections.
Seng said yesterday that for the upcoming direct and indirect legislative elections, the commission will once again host a ceremony marking the official start of the canvassing period, which will be held in Praça do Tap Seac in the morning of the first day of the two-week election campaign period.
In the previous legislative elections, normally, the direct election candidacy groups chose to paste their respective campaign posters on a board provided by the government in Praça do Tap Seac right after the election campaign period started at 00:00.
Seng also said yesterday that the commission has chosen 25 public venues, including Praça do Tap Seac, where the government will set up a board each for candidacy groups to paste and display their respective campaign posters during the upcoming electioneering period, two more than in the 2021 direct and indirect legislative elections.
Seng said that the commission has also designated 18 public venues for candidacy groups to carry out their election campaigns, the same 18 venues for the legislative elections four years ago. He said that the commission will conduct a draw in due course to evenly distribute the different time periods for the different candidacy groups to use the venues for their respective election campaigns.
Moreover, Seng said, the commission will also conduct a draw in due course to determine the time periods for the different candidacy groups to carry out their election campaigns on the TV and radio channels of public broadcaster TDM, such as publicising their political platforms and attending election debates.
Seng also noted that each candidacy group can use up to eight vehicles travelling across the city to play audio campaign messages, adding that their time periods and volume limits must comply with the official requirements.
Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) President Seng Ioi Man (centre) addresses yesterday’s press briefing at the Public Administration Building, flanked by fellow commission members (from left to right) Louie Wong Lok I, Mak Kim Meng, Ng Wai Han, and Daisy Ho In Mui. – Photo: GCS
