Views on election guidelines sought

March 9, 2020

Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Barnabas Fung:

Concerning queuing, there has always been a flexible approach to attending to those needy, for example, those people who, for whatever reason cannot stand up for long hours. On the polling day in November, we had issued instructions. The principle first is, one has to queue up to get his or her ballot paper. This is exactly based on the principle of equality. For those who have special needs, such as they cannot stand for long hours, we have made arrangement that if possible, the presiding officers would allow them to go and sit in polling station and have their position in the queue marked and upon reaching their respective position they will be called upon to collect the ballot paper. This is what we have done. But since the polling day, we have heard views about further facilitating or even according priority to certain groups of people to have their votes cast first. To this we are consulting in order to receive the views. As to what is the next step, we have to really look at the views in the consultation and as to whether it is practical to make a special arrangement. 

As to limiting the number of entrants (into a counting station), I think the principle is really reasonableness and proportionality. You cannot really squeeze an (excessive) number of people in the counting station so that order in the counting station is not maintained. So I think that there must a balance between how big the counting station is and how many people would be allowed in to observe the count. In any case, candidates, the counting agents, or their election agents are allowed to fully observe and to stand near the counting table, and to participate in the questionable ballot paper determination process. Of course, the public would be welcome. But if there are far too many people there causing problems to the counting process, I think this is doing a disservice to the whole counting process. 

And as to recording at the counting station, the principle of secrecy of the ballot is that the whole voting procedure cannot be recorded in order to protect voting secrecy. But as we see, the counting process is very often recorded either by the public or sometimes by members of the media. So we are thinking of whether it is also conducive to good record that it is recorded on the part of the Registration & Electoral Office, but we are, at this stage only inviting views as to the pros and cons.

(To watch the whole press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Electoral Affairs Commission is inviting public views on its proposed guidelines for the 2020 Legislative Council General Election.

At a press conference today, Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Barnabas Fung briefed reporters on the guidelines for the LegCo election, to be held in the third quarter.

On queuing arrangements at polling stations, Mr Fung said the commission is looking into arrangements to facilitate voters with special needs.

“There has always been a flexible approach to attending to those needy, for example, those people who, for whatever reason cannot stand up for long hours.

“For those who have special needs, such as they cannot stand for long hours, we have made arrangement that if possible, the presiding officers would allow them to go and sit in polling station and have their position in the queue marked and upon reaching their respective position they will be called upon to collect the ballot paper.

“We have heard views about further facilitating or even according priority to certain groups of people to have their votes cast first.

“As to what is the next step, we have to really look at the views in the consultation and as to whether it is practical to make a special arrangement.”

Another suggestion made by the commission includes limiting the number of entrants in a counting station and requesting public entrants to register their names and identity document numbers.

Mr Fung said: “Of course, the public would be welcome. But if there are far too many people there causing problems to the counting process, I think this is doing a disservice to the whole counting process.”

The commission will also explore the suggestion of video-recording the entire counting process for the sake of maintaining order as well as for evidence, if necessary.

Due to public health considerations, there will be no public forum for this consultation to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community.

People are welcome to send their views by April 7 to the commission by post at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, by fax at 2511 1682 or by email.

Call 2891 1001 for enquiries.