16th Melaka State Election Officially Begins As Nomination Process Opens Statewide

MELAKA, Oct 31  – The 16th Melaka State Election officially got under way today, Saturday, October 31, 2026, with candidate nomination proceedings taking place simultaneously at 28 designated nomination centres across the state starting at 9:00 AM.

Prospective candidates have a strict one-hour window until 10:00 AM to submit their nomination papers to their respective Returning Officers before the final list of eligible candidates is publicly declared.

Following the formal announcement of candidates, a 14-day official campaign period will commence, running through 11:59 PM on Friday, November 13, 2026, in compliance with Election Commission (EC) guidelines.

The EC has scheduled polling day for Saturday, November 14, 2026, while early voting for security personnel and military officers will take place on Tuesday, November 10.

Heading into nomination day, the EC recorded that 189 nomination forms had been sold as of Thursday night, with 45 prospective candidates having settled their electoral deposits.

According to official EC voter register statistics, a total of 687,697 electors are registered to vote in this state election. The electorate comprises 675,166 ordinary voters, 9,769 armed forces personnel and spouses, and 2,762 police personnel.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) forecasted clear weather conditions across all districts throughout Saturday morning.

The Melaka State Legislative Assembly was officially dissolved on September 23, 2026, following the consent of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam. In the previous 2021 Melaka State Election, Barisan Nasional secured a two-thirds majority by winning 21 of the 28 state seats to form the government, while Pakatan Harapan won five seats and Perikatan Nasional won two.

Voter Statistics, Campaign Timeline, and Election Schedule

Key electoral metrics, voter breakdowns, and key dates include:

• Electorate Breakdown: 687,697 total voters (675,166 ordinary voters, 9,769 armed forces personnel and spouses, and 2,762 police personnel).
• Nomination Logistics: 28 nomination centres operating simultaneously from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
• 14-Day Campaign Period: Begins October 31 and concludes at 11:59 PM on November 13, 2026.
• Key Election Dates: Nomination Day on October 31, Early Voting on November 10, and Polling Day on November 14, 2026.

–NMT