Supporters out by 7am as Melaka candidates file their papers

Supporters and Chinese lion dancers in costume accompany Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Paya Rumput state seat, Datuk Azman Abidin, to the nomination centre at Stadium Hang Jebat for the 16th Melaka State Election on October 31, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Saturday, 31 Oct 2026 9:42 AM MYT

Last Modified: Saturday, 31 Oct 2026 9:46 AM MYT

MELAKA, Oct 31 — All 28 nomination centres for the 16th Melaka State Election opened simultaneously at 9 am today.

Prospective candidates have one hour, until 10 am, to submit their nomination papers to the returning officers at their respective centres, after which the list of eligible candidates will be officially announced.

The 14-day campaign period will begin after the announcement of candidates and end at 11.59 pm on November 13.

A Bernama check at several nomination centres found that supporters of various political parties began gathering as early as 7 am to show their support for their respective candidates, with favourable weather conditions reported across the state.

The election is being held following the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly on September 23, with the consent of the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka, Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.

The Election Commission (EC) has set November 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, with early voting scheduled for November 10.

A total of 687,697 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the election, comprising 675,166 ordinary voters, 9,769 military personnel and their spouses, and 2,762 police personnel.

Barisan Nasional (BN) secured 21 seats in the 15th Melaka State Election held on November 20, 2021, with UMNO winning 18, MCA two and MIC one, enabling the coalition to form the state government with a more than two-thirds majority.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) won five seats, with DAP securing four and Amanah one, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) took two.

For the latest updates on the 16th Melaka State Election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/. — Bernama