Voting starts for Macao SAR's 6th-term chief executive election

MACAO - Voting for the sixth-term chief executive election of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) started at 10 am local time on Sunday.

Members of the Chief Executive Election Committee arrived at the polling booth located at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex to cast their secret ballots. Votes will be counted and announced immediately after voting.

Sam Hou Fai, former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, was the only candidate running for the sixth-term chief executive.

According to Macao's Chief Executive Election Law, an election is valid only if two-thirds of all members of the election committee are present to vote. To be elected, a candidate must receive support from more than half of the total members of the committee, which is at least 200 votes.

The elected candidate will become the chief executive designate of the Macao SAR, pending appointment by the Central People's Government. The sixth-term chief executive is expected to take office on Dec 20.