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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission today (September 22) issued a new set of guidelines for the District Council Election, setting out comprehensive electoral procedures and rules for candidates, election agents, voters and the media.
Unlike earlier volumes, the new guidelines are contained in a loose-leaf binding which makes for easy updating in an environmentally friendly way.
The Chairman of Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, strongly advised election hopefuls to read the guidelines before declaring their candidature or filing nominations.
In the second District Council Election of the Special Administrative Region on November 23, one member will be returned for each of the 400 constituencies in the 18 districts. Nominations will run from October 2 to 15.
Mr Justice Woo asked prospective nominees to take note of the newly imposed ceiling of 20 subscribers for a nomination. While 10 qualified subscribers are still required for a nomination, any names over and above that number will not be regarded as having subscribed to the nomination.
All voters should note that the polling hours have been shortened. Polls will open at 7.30am as in the past but close at 7.30pm. A majority of those who responded to the public consultation earlier this year favoured the change, saying it would reduce disturbances, and allow for earlier compilation of election results.
Most polling stations will turn into counting stations after the polls close. For some small polling stations with less than 200 registered electors, their ballot boxes will be sealed and taken under Police escort to a designated counting station, where the votes will be counted.
Candidates must submit relevant declarations and samples to the Returning Officer before election advertisements are displayed or distributed. For publicity materials referring to a candidate that are released by an organisation, the guidelines make clear which of such materials are deemed to be election ads on behalf of a candidate and which are not.
Candidates may take part freely in non-election TV and radio programmes. For election-related broadcasts, the "equal time" and the "no unfair advantage" principles apply to candidates and political parties or groups with members contesting the polls.
The use of loudspeakers will not be permitted within the No Canvassing Zones (NCZ) outside polling stations, or in the vicinity of the NCZ if the sound emitted can be heard there.
Traffic rules applicable to vehicles involved in canvassing activities are incorporated in the guidelines. Candidates should note that they must wear seat belts, that slow driving may constitute "careless driving", and that standing up in moving vehicles is generally prohibited except on certain categories of public transport vehicles.
Directorate Officers, Administrative Officers, Police Officers and Information Officers are not allowed to openly support a candidate, but other civil servants are not barred from doing so. Principal Officials must follow the "Code for Principal Officials under the Accountability System" when engaging in election-related activities.
The new guidelines are available from the Registration and Electoral Office and District Offices. They can also be downloaded from the Commission's website at http://www.gov.hk/eac.
Also present at the Commission's press conference were members Mr Norman Leung Nai-pang and Dr Elizabeth Shing Shiu-ching.
End/Monday, September 22, 2003
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