Election for 399 Election Committee members, whose duty is to elect the new Chief Executive, was held on 16 June 2019.[2][3]
On 18 April 2019 the third President of the Legislative Assembly of MacauHo Iat-seng announced his bid for CE office and tendered his resignation as the President of AL, Member of AL, Member of the NPCSC, and the 400 members Election Committee for the Chief Executive of Macau which was temporary reduced to 399 members.[4] On 23 April the Chairman of the NPCSCLi Zhanshu formally accepted Ho's resignation from the NPCSC.[5] On 5 July 2019, Ho officially resigned from Legislative Assembly of Macau as President and Member of AL.[6] On 23 June 2019, Ho was able to secure 378 electoral colleges becoming the sole candidate for CE,[7] then appointed by Li Keqiang, Premier of China.[8]
Pro-democracy political party New Macau Association virtually held "Civil Vote of CE Under Universal Suffrage" between 11 and 25 August 2019, of which one question regarding political reform was presented: "Do you agree the Chief Executive of Macau Special Administrative Region shall be selected by universal suffrage?".[16][17] The vote was cut short on 23 August by the Association after the voting website and advertisement booths on street were being attacked.[18] According to the result released, 5,351 voted yes (93.9%), 236 voted no (4.1%), and 111 abstained (2%).[19]
The pro-democracy camp voices discontentment over the uncontested election,[21] criticizing it as "one-man election", "sham election", and "small-circle election" as majority of residents cannot nominate and vote in the election.[22][23]
^Master, Farah; Zhai, Keith; Chatterjee, Sumeet; Cadell, Cate (2019-12-12). McClellan, Philip (ed.). "Protest-free Macau to win financial policy rewards from China". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-06-08. 'Macau will be an example of China's reunification,' Ho Iat-seng, who is set to become Macau's next chief executive on Dec. 20, told state broadcaster China Central Television last month.