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List of exit pollsters uploaded onto web

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A list of organisations, whose applications to conduct exit polls on polling day of the Legislative Council election on Sunday (September 12) have been approved, is now available on the Government's dedicated election website (http://www.elections.gov.hk).

The same list will also be posted at the polling stations concerned. For easy identification, exit poll interviewers are required to wear badges showing their identity.

The six approved pollsters are the Public Affairs Research Society, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Youths Unified Association, Hong Kong Social and Economic Research Centre, Hong Kong Policy Research Institute Ltd and Tsuen Wan Youth Council.

"The ballot is secret. Electors have every right to remain silent on their votes or any particular of their votes," a spokesperson of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) said. "Exit pollsters should respect their right."

It is a criminal offence to require an elector to disclose whom the elector has voted for in an election.

"An elector does not have to disclose his choice of candidate or candidate list if he does not want to," the spokesperson said.

The EAC has called on all pollsters not to announce the results of their exit polls or predictions until after the close of polls, in order to avoid undue influence on electors' preferences.

A total of 501 polling stations will be open from 7.30am to 10.30pm for more than 3.2 million registered electors to cast their votes on Sunday.

Ends/Friday, September 10, 2004

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