The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) announces the preliminary vote count in Macao, south China, Sept. 15, 2025. The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao SAR announced early Monday morning that 26 candidates were preliminarily elected to the eighth Legislative Assembly through direct and indirect elections. (Xinhua)

MACAO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) announced early Monday morning that 26 candidates were preliminarily elected to the eighth Legislative Assembly through direct and indirect elections.

Voting started at 9:00 a.m. and concluded at 9:00 p.m. Sunday local time.

The new legislature of the Macao SAR comprises 33 members, including 14 directly elected members, 12 indirectly elected members, and seven members appointed by the Macao SAR chief executive.

Those appointed will be designated by the chief executive within 15 days of receiving the final election results.

The Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR is the region's legislative body, and its members are permanent residents of the SAR. Except for the first term, which was stipulated otherwise, each term lasts four years.

In 2024, the Macao SAR amended its Legislative Assembly Election Law, improving the candidate qualification review process to further implement the principle of "patriots administering Macao" within the legal framework, while also refining stages of the election process to ensure that the election is conducted in a fair, just, clean, and orderly manner. ■

Staff members open ballot boxes to count the votes after the end of voting for the eighth Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) at a polling station in Macao, south China, Sept. 14, 2025. The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election of the Macao SAR announced early Monday morning that 26 candidates were preliminarily elected to the eighth Legislative Assembly through direct and indirect elections. (Xinhua)