Sam Hou-fai elected as Macao chief executive-designate

Macao's former top judge Sam Hou-fai was elected the sixth-term chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Sunday.

The voting, which began around 10 am on Sunday, ended in about 30 minutes. President of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election Song Man-lei announced that Sam – the lone candidate in the poll - garnered 394 votes out of the 400-strong Chief Executive Election Committee, becoming the CE-designate. A total of 398 members voted in the race and four of the ballots were blank.

Pending approval by the central government, Sam, 62, is set to succeed incumbent Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng, serving a five-year term starting from December 20.

According to the law, a candidate must obtain more than 200 votes to secure the win, with the attendance of at least two thirds of the election committee members.

The election took place at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex on Sunday.

Citing health issues, Ho announced on Aug 21 that he would not seek a second term as the city's chief executive.

Declaring to join the race on Aug 28, Sam submitted 383 nominations from the Chief Executive Election Committee later, becoming the sole candidate in the election.