PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) today has set polling day for the Balakong by-election on Sept 8 and nomination day on Aug 18.
The commission's deputy chairman Tan Sri Othman Mahmood announced the key dates, saying the campaign period would last for 21 days from the date of nomination until 11.59pm on Sept 7.
Early voting is set for Sept 4.
Othman added that the EC had agreed to appoint Hulu Langat district officer Datuk Rosli Othman as the returning officer for the Balakong by-election.
“For the Balakong by-election, the EC will use Demesne main hall at the Hulu Langat district office for the nomination and official tally centre.
“A total of 998 people have been appointed to conduct the Balakong by-election and 17 premises will be used as polling centres comprising 129 voting channels,” he said after chairing the special meeting on the by-election.
The allocation needed to run the by-election is estimated at about RM1.5 million, said Othman.
He also said 29 new voting channels would be created to prevent congestion from 100 channels in the 14th general election (GE14) to 129.
Othman added the number of voting booths would be raised from two to three at each voting channel.
“This can speed up the polling process at the voting channels,” he said, adding that the upcoming by-election would involve 62,219 registered voters.
Out of the 62,219 voters, Othman said 62,160 were normal voters; 31 early voters and 28 absent voters.
He also said the EC would also invite non-governmental organisations (NGO) and a group for the disabled known as OKU Sentral as local observers.
The seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman Eddie Ng Tien Chee in an accident at KM11.7 of the Grand Saga Highway on July 20.
In GE14, Ng retained his Balakong seat for the second term after defeating Lim Chin Wah from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Mohamad Ibrahim Ghazali (PAS) with a 35,538-vote majority.
Othman also conveyed the commission’s condolences to the family of the late Balakong assemblyman.
On the Sungai Kandis by-election, Othman urged all registered voters to come out and cast their votes on Aug 4.