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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission today (September 19) announced arrangements for the District Council election on November 18, and the nomination period for the Legislative Council by-election for the Hong Kong Island geographical constituency on December 2.
Commission chairman Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee said that a candidate for the District Council election must be an elector aged 21 or above and have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the three years immediately before the nomination.
"Nominations will open on October 2 and run until October 15. A nomination must be subscribed by 10 registered electors of the relevant District Council constituency," he said.
The number of people who may subscribe a nomination shall not be more than 20.
He urged all candidates to familiarise themselves with the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the District Council election before conducting electioneering activities.
"The guidelines released today were finalised after the commission carefully considered representations received during a one-month public consultation exercise," he said.
The polls for the District Council election will be held on November 18, when polling stations will be open from 7.30am to 10.30pm for electors in contested constituencies to cast their votes. Each registered elector can vote for one candidate in his or her constituency. A total of 405 elected members will be returned to the 18 District Councils in Hong Kong.
The newly designed ballot papers, used for the first time in a District Council election, will allow candidates to request the names, abbreviations of names, and emblems of prescribed bodies; their personal emblems; and the words "independent candidate" or "non-affiliated candidate" to be included therein. The ballot papers will also have the names, numbers, and photographs of candidates printed on them.
The maximum election expenses a candidate can incur have increased from $45,000 to $48,000.
Mr Justice Pang said that a financial assistance scheme had been introduced for candidates in the coming election.
Candidates who are elected or who have obtained 5% or more of valid votes can apply for financial assistance. The amount of financial assistance payable to a candidate is $10 per valid vote, capped by 50% of the declared election expenses of the candidate.
More information on the District Council election is available at the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). Enquiries can be made to the hotline, 2891 1001.
For the Legislative Council by-election for Hong Kong Island geographical constituency, Mr Justice Pang said the nomination period would run from October 17 to October 31. An announcement on the nomination period will be published in the Gazette on September 21.
Further arrangements on the by-election will be announced in mid-October.
Ends/Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:41
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