The public consultation on the proposed guidelines for the Rural Representative Election has started and will be held until July 11.

Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Justice Barnabas Fung said at a press conference today: "For the 2019 rural ordinary election which will be held in January 2019, we have drawn up proposed guidelines and the public consultation period will start from today for 30 days until July 11."

He said the finalised guidelines will be in effect for the 2019 rural ordinary elections and future rural by-elections.

"An important area is to set out the residence requirement for registration as electors for existing villages and market towns, and the change in eligibility for registration upon the change of principal residential address.

"It is important to stress that there is a three-year residential requirement and continued residence in the existing villages or market towns in order to be eligible to vote in rural elections."

The proposed guidelines also specify the requirement to submit documentary evidence to prove the principal residential address of an elector for an address change application.

A total of 1,484 Village Representatives, comprising 695 Resident Representatives and 789 Indigenous Inhabitant Representatives, will be returned for 709 villages in the next rural ordinary election, while 39 and 17 Kaifong Representatives will be returned for Cheung Chau and Peng Chau.

Click here for the proposed guidelines.