By-election scheduled for Dec 18

November 28, 2022

The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today announced that the 2022 Legislative Council Election Committee constituency (ECC) by-election will be conducted on December 18 to fill four vacancies in the membership of the constituency.

 

The EAC unveiled the electoral arrangements for the by-election and guidelines on election-related activities this evening.

 

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee published the notice of valid nominations in the Gazette on November 26 to declare that all of the six nominations received by the Returning Officer by the close of the nomination period are valid.

 

The EAC noted that as the number of validly nominated candidates is more than four, a poll will be held, adding that polling will be held from 9am to 11.30am on December 18 at a polling station set up at the Convention & Exhibition Centre.

 

To reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19, the Registration & Electoral Office has suggested five time slots to the EC members according to the EC sectors they belong. Relevant information will be sent to them and they are encouraged to vote at the polling station according to the suggested time slot.

 

Electronic Poll Register system will be used for issuing ballot papers at the polling station for efficient issuance of ballot papers. The EC members should present their actual Hong Kong permanent identity card or specified alternative documents for collecting ballot papers.

 

Adopting the "block vote" voting system, each EC member must elect exactly four candidates, and the four candidates who obtain the greatest number of votes shall be returned in the by-election.

 

Emphasising that the ballot is autonomous and secret, the EAC said that canvassing activities are forbidden inside polling stations. Using electronic devices for communication, taking photographs, or making videos or audio recordings in the polling stations is an offence, it added.

 

Due to social distancing requirements, more than 70 ballot paper issuing desks and around 100 voting compartments will be set up at the polling station to allow EC members to finish voting more quickly.

 

After the polling closes, all ballot boxes will be delivered to the central counting station at the Convention & Exhibition Centre. Candidates, election agents and counting agents may observe the vote-counting in the counting zone.

 

Members of the public can observe the count in the counting zone and watch the announcement of election result in the public galleries of the central counting station and media centre respectively.

 

A maximum of 130 members of the public will be arranged to enter the public galleries on a first-come, first-served basis until full capacity. Admission arrangement details will be published on the election website.

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