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151 electors (1.24 %) voted in the first hour of the Sha Tin District Council Tai Wai constituency by-election, which started at 7.30am today (March 29). (The voter turnout figures are only for temporary reference.)
Two ordinary polling stations, located at the Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College, Mei Lam Estate, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, and the TWGHs Sin Chu Wan Primary School, 38 Chik Fuk Street, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, are open until 10.30pm today for 12,164 registered electors in the constituency to cast their votes.
A dedicated polling station at the Tin Sum Police Station, 2 Hin Keng Street, Sha Tin is set up for electors in Tai Wai Constituency who are remanded or detained by law enforcement agencies (other than the Correctional Services Department) to cast their ballots. This polling station opens from 7.30am to 10.30pm.
As there are male electors in the constituency who are remanded in the Correctional Services Department¡¦s custody, a dedicated polling station located at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, 5 Butterfly Valley Road, Kowloon will be open for them to cast their votes. In view of security concerns, the polling hours of this polling station are from 9am to 4pm.
The reserved polling station at the Tai Lam Centre for Women will not open as there are no female electors in the constituency remanded in the Correctional Services Department¡¦s custody.
Electors of Tai Wai Constituency who are under remand or detention and express the wish to vote in the by-election will be escorted by the law enforcement agencies concerned to go to the dedicated polling stations to vote.
The Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee, members Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai will inspect the polling stations this morning.
The five candidates contesting the by-election are: No. 1, Lee York-fai; No. 2, Leung Wing-hung; No. 3, Chau Chi-pong; No. 4, Yuen Kwai-choi; and No. 5, Chan Wai-man.
¡§Electors are advised to cast their votes as early as possible,¡¨ a spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office said.
¡§Voting is very simple. It takes only a few minutes.¡¨
¡§All electors need to do is to take their identity document to the polling station, use the chop provided to stamp the ballot paper with a¡¥tick¡¦ in the circle opposite the name of the chosen candidate, and fold the ballot paper inward in half before putting it into the ballot box,¡¨ he said.
The polling stations at the Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College and the TWGHs Sin Chu Wan Primary School will be converted into counting stations once the poll is closed. People are welcome to watch the counting of votes in the designated area in the counting stations.
Ballot boxes of the dedicated polling stations will be delivered to the main counting station at the Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College after the close of poll for counting.
The Returning Officer will announce the election results at the counting station at the Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College.
An election hotline, 2891 1001, will operate until 11pm to answer enquiries relating to the by-election.
A complaint hotline, 2827 7251, will be in service until 10.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Ends/Sunday, March 29, 2009
Issued at HKT 08:52
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