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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

The Electoral Affairs Commission (Electoral Procedure) (District Councils) (Amendment) Regulation 2003 was gazetted today (May 16).

A spokesman for the commission said the amendment aimed to speed up the vote-counting process and enable election results to be declared earlier.

One of the initiatives is the decentralised counting of votes at individual polling stations after the close of the poll.

"Trial runs during three District Council by-elections in recent months showed the advantages of counting votes at the polling station, including the elimination of security risks in transporting ballot boxes, enhanced efficiency in the counting process, and savings in manpower resources," the spokesman said.

Another initiative is that ballot papers that are clearly invalid will no longer be set aside as questionable and subject to objection by candidates or their agents.

"Examples of such ballot papers include those which are unused, unmarked, substantially mutilated, or marked 'tendered' and 'spoilt'," the spokesman said. "In past elections, no objections have been raised to such ballot papers that were ruled invalid by the Returning Officer."

The regulation also seeks to streamline electoral arrangements in relation to permission for an elector to return to the polling station to cast his vote; variation of the no-canvassing zone and the no-staying zone by a Presiding Officer on polling day; and the depositing of election advertisements in advance of display.

"The amendment regulation will be tabled in the Legislative Council on May 21 for negative vetting until July 10," the spokesman said.

End/Friday, May 16, 2003

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