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A total of 32,630 voters from 31 subsectors representing various trades, professions, labour and social service sectors, and district-based organisations have cast their votes to elect their representatives on the Election Committee.

This represents a turnout rate of 23.38 per cent.

Speaking at a press conference after polling ended at 10.30 pm yesterday (Thursday), the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, pointed out that the turnout rate in six subsectors, which exceeded 80 per cent, had been particularly good.

The six subsectors are Finance, Hotel, Insurance, Transport, Agriculture and Fisheries and Heung Yee Kuk.

However, some voters chose not to cast their votes probably because competition among candidates in some subsectors was not keen, he said.

The 588 candidates elected will join 95 members already returned from four uncontested subsectors, 77 ex-officio members from the National People's Congress and the Provisional Legislative Council, and 40 members nominated by the Religious Subsector to form a 800-strong Election Committee.

The Election Committee will be responsible for electing 10 Legislative Councillors on May 24.

A total of 45 complaints, mainly related to polling arrangements and voters' eligibility to vote, were lodged.

End/Friday, April 3, 1998

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Photo:
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, and Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Michael Suen, looking at one of the first batch of ballot boxes of the Legislative Council Subsector Elections held yesterday (Thursday) being emptied at the Central Counting Station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre last night.