The number of registered voters has reached 220,618 for Macao's legislative polls in September, according to official statistics issued on Friday.

Figures from the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) showed that the number displays a 38-percent increase over the previous 2001 legislative elections in which the number of registered voters stood at 163,659.

The electoral rolls include 63,375 new voters who will be able to cast their ballots for the first time in the upcoming legislative elections scheduled for Sept. 25.

The Special Administrative Region with a population of over 460,000 will hold "direct and indirect" legislative elections on the date.

The future legislature will have 29 members, as against the current number of 27. The number of legislators directly elected by universal suffrage will be increased from 10 to 12.

The number of indirectly elected and officially appointed law-makers will remain unchanged at 10 and seven respectively.

The indirect ballot will be held by the representatives of community, business, labor and sports associations.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)