INTERACTIVE: Cast your vote on when you think the Johor polls will be held

PETALING JAYA: With the dissolution of the Johor assembly on June 1, an election must be held within 60 days, by July 31.

All eyes are now on the Election Commission (EC), which will meet to decide on nomination and polling dates.

Most states in Malaysia have held their state assembly polls separately from the last general election (GE15) on Nov 19, 2022.

Only three states - Perlis, Perak and Pahang - held elections at the same time with the Dewan Rakyat election for Parliament seats in 2022.

Another three states - Melaka, Sarawak and Johor - already went to the ballot box to pick to their state assemblymen before the GE15.

Meanwhile, voters in six states cast their votes on Aug 12, 2023 when elections were held simultaneously in Penang, Kelantan, Selangor, Terengganu, Kedah and Negri Sembilan.

Sabah is the state which most recently had their election on Nov 29 last year.

As Johor heads for the polls, questions arise as to when other state assemblies are due for theirs.

Here’s a look at when each state assembly, along with the Dewan Rakyat, will be automatically dissolved, if no polls are announced before that.

 

 

A check on the gap between dissolution and polling for each state as well as the Dewan Rakyat shows a range of between 33 to 51 days (see table below).

 

 

For now, it is anyone’s guess as to when Johor voters will be able cast their ballot at the ballot box.

When it comes to polling day, the EC often opts for Saturday, which was when polling was held the last time around for all states and Parliament.

Assuming that the EC sets a 14-day campaign period for the poll, the following are several Saturdays where the commission could choose from.

Incidentally, one of the Saturdays, namely July 18, falls close to the final of the upcoming World Cup, which is scheduled for 3am (Malaysia time) on July 20.

Take a guess in our poll below to pick the exact date you think the Johor election will be held: