Macau set for record turnout in Legislative Assembly polls

Pro-establishment groups are expected to maintain their majority in city’s legislature

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Citizens in Macau cast their ballots on Sunday. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 10:42pm, 17 Sep 2017Updated: 11:31pm, 17 Sep 2017

Macau looked to be heading for the history books on Sunday night as observers predicted voters had turned out in record numbers for the crucial Legislative Assembly elections in the former Portuguese enclave.

An early surge in voting activity saw more than 40,000 ballots cast in the first 2.5 hours after polling stations opened at 42 venues at 9am on Sunday – representing around 13 per cent of an eligible electorate numbering slightly more than 300,000.

Macau votes for new legislature in ‘most hotly contested polls’ in years

Despite a rash of reports alleging electoral malpractice and corruption in the run-up to the polls, predictions ahead the final results – which are expected to be announced in the early hours of Monday morning after the polls closed at 9pm – suggested a smoothly run election.

Macau residents queue at the polling station in the morning. Photo: Dickson Lee

The final results will almost certainly see pro-establishment political groups maintain their domination in the 33-seat legislature of which 14 seats are directly elected, 12 indirectly and seven appointed.

The pro-establishment camp’s domination appeared to have been solidified after Macau’s vocal yet small and split pro-democracy camp criticised the first ever use of troops from China’s People’s Liberation Army to help clean up the city in the wake ofTyphoon Hato – a move that was not well received among much of the public.