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In compliance with the Electoral Law of the National People's
Congress and the Local People's Congresses, deputies to the
National People's Congress (NPC) are elected by secret ballot where
a multi-candidate election approach is to be adopted. Therefore,
the number of candidates standing in an election will be 20-50
percent higher than the number of deputies elected. Various
political parties and mass organizations can jointly, or
independently, propose candidates. More than 10 deputies, in a
jointly signed petition, can also nominate prospective candidates.
The number of deputies to the NPC is limited by a ceiling of 3,000,
and the quota, decided by the NPC Standing Committee, depends on
different circumstances.
The candidate list is made public by the electoral committee 20
days ahead of the election. The following consultations and
discussions will short-list the deputy nominees and that list will
be made public five days before the election.
The number of deputies to the NPC from each province, autonomous
region and municipality directly under the central government, will
be allocated by the NPC Standing Committee according to the
principle that the proportion of the population, represented by a
deputy in a rural area, is four times the proportion of the
population represented by a deputy in the city.
All minority ethnic groups should be represented by having deputies
to the NPC. The quota are decided and allocated to each province,
autonomous region and municipality by the NPC Standing Committee
according to the population and distribution of each minority
ethnic group. An ethnic group with a very small population should
be represented by a single deputy to the NPC.
The election law also stipulates that there should be an
appropriate representation of women, and returned overseas Chinese,
within the NPC, and that the ratio of women deputies should be
gradually raised.
During the election, the electors may vote for, or against, the
proposed candidates, or alternatively, abstain, or elect, others. A
candidate wins the election only by a majority vote from all
electors. If the number of candidates voted for is more than the
number of deputies to be elected, the total number of votes will
decide the ballot result. In the case of equal voting, concerned
candidates will be put to the ballot once more. The result of the
election will be verified, and made public, by the Presidium of the
NPC.
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