Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission Barnabas Fung Wah (3rd right), along with EAC members Arthur Luk (1st right) and Daniel Shek (4th right) and Returning Officer Keith Yeung Kar-hung (2nd right), visits the central counting station cum media center of the 2022 Chief Executive Election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, May 7, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSASR GOVERNMENT)
HONG KONG – Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Barnabas Fung Wah said arrangements at the polling station of the chief executive election are ready and called on Election Committee members to cast their ballots on Sunday.
Fung made the remarks after inspecting the main polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
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The law stipulates that the CE shall be elected by the EC members by secret ballot on a one-person, one-vote basis. Only the members whose names are on the final register of the members of the EC may vote.
According to the EAC, there is only one validly nominated candidate in this year’s election. Nearly 1,500 EC members may cast either a “support” vote or a “not support” vote.
“The candidate shall be returned at the election if the number of valid ‘support’ votes obtained by him exceeds 750, and be appointed by the Central People's Government to become the next term of CE,” a spokesman for the EAC said in a statement issued on Saturday.
However, if the number of valid “support” votes obtained by the candidate does not exceed 750, Returning Officer will publicly declare that no candidate is returned at the election and terminate the proceedings for the election. There will then be another round of nomination and election.
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission Barnabas Fung Wah shows a sample ballot paper to the media after visiting the main polling station of the 2022 Chief Executive Election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, May 7, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Anti-virus measures
Anti-epidemic measures are in place at the main polling station to ensure the safety of EC members and electoral staff amid the fifth wave of the epidemic.
There will be no less than 70 ballot paper issuing desks and about 100 voting compartments in the main polling station. The distance between the facilities in the polling station will be widened as far as possible, said EAC chairman Barnabas Fung
There will be no less than 70 ballot paper issuing desks and about 100 voting compartments in the main polling station. The distance between the facilities in the polling station will be widened as far as possible, according to Fung.
“In order to reduce the flow of people at the main polling station, the polling hours will be extended to two and a half hours which are from 9 am to 11:30am,” Fung said.
According to the five EC sectors to which they belong, a suggested time slot is assigned to EC members to vote at the main polling station.
EC members are advised to arrive at the main polling station to vote according to the suggested time slots, Fung said.
A fever detection system will be installed at multiple entrances of the HKCEC to conduct temperature checks on those who arrive at the main polling station.
The EC members with a fever will be directed by polling staff to special voting compartments to vote. Special voting compartments will be thoroughly disinfected after each use, according to the EAC.
Electoral staff with fever symptoms will not be allowed to perform election duties.
Fung also encouraged electors to use the COVID-19 contact tracing app LeaveHomeSafe before entering the polling station.
“At present, there is no electoral law requiring electors to use the LeaveHomeSafe mobile application or comply with the vaccine pass requirements before entering polling stations, but we encourage the EC members to use the LeaveHomeSafe and comply with the vaccine pass requirements when entering the main polling station,” he said.
As for the counting station and its media center, except for people who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, as well as those with disabilities that render use of the LeaveHomeSafe mobile application difficult, all entrants must use the LeaveHomeSafe, the EAC said.
Except those who hold a specified medical exemption certificate and other exempted persons, all people entering the central counting station are also required to have received at least two doses of vaccination.
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission Barnabas Fung Wah (2nd right), along with EAC members Arthur Luk (1st right) and Daniel Shek (3rd right), visits the central counting station cum media center of the 2022 Chief Executive Election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, May 7, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSASR GOVERNMENT)
Secret ballot
The Electronic Poll Register will be used for issuing ballot papers at the main polling station for the CE election for more efficient and accurate issuance of ballot papers. The EC members only need to present the original of their Hong Kong permanent identity card or other specified alternative documents to the polling staff for collecting ballot papers, according to the EAC.
Barnabas Fung stressed that the ballot is secret and conducted in a confidential manner, adding that the EAC attaches great importance to voting secrecy
Fung stressed that the ballot is secret and conducted in a confidential manner, adding that the EAC attaches great importance to voting secrecy.
“Pursuant to the law, ballot papers will not be printed with numbers. Polling staff are prohibited from recording which particular ballot paper is issued to an EC member,” he said.
After being issued a ballot paper, the EC member should proceed to a voting compartment alone and use the chop bearing the “tick” mark provided at the polling station to vote, he added.
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Fung reminded EC members that they are not allowed to communicate with others in the polling station. The use of electronic devices for communication, take photographs, or make video or audio recordings in the polling stations is also forbidden. However, they are allowed to disclose their voting choice after leaving the polling station, Fung said.
Apart from the main polling station at the HKCEC, the Registration and Electoral Office has also set up a polling station at Penny's Bay community isolation facility for EC members who cannot go to the main polling station to vote due to quarantine measures on the polling day.
Its polling hours are from 9 am to 10:30 am. Affected EC members should contact the REO to pre-register for voting at the Penny's Bay polling station.
Once the poll is closed, the ballot papers will be disinfected and then delivered to the central counting station for counting with other ballot papers, according to the EAC.
A dedicated polling station at Happy Valley Police Station will also be set up.
Counting arrangements
Once the poll is closed, all ballot boxes will be delivered to the central counting station cum media center at the HKCEC where the count will be conducted manually by counting staff.
Once the poll is closed, all ballot boxes will be delivered to the central counting station cum media center at the HKCEC where the count will be conducted manually by counting staff
“The candidate, his election agent and counting agents may observe the counting in the counting area, while members of the public can observe the counting in the public gallery,” the EAC spokesman said.
Admission to the 400-seat public gallery will be opened from 10:30 am Sunday on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Members of the public admitted to the public gallery will be required to wear a wristband provided by the REO for identification purpose,” the spokesman added.
After the completion of the count, the Returning Officer will announce the election result at the central counting station.
“An announcement of the election result will be displayed outside the counting station and a gazette notice will be published on the same day,” the spokesman added.