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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission today (September 6) announced the arrangements for the 2011 District Council election.
Voting for the District Council election will be held on November 6. A total of 412 elected members, one for each of the 412 constituencies in the 18 districts, will be returned in the polls.
The nomination period will run from September 15 to 28. At a press conference today, Commission Chairman Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah called on those who are committed to serving the community to stand for election.
"A nominee must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 21 or above who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the three years immediately preceding his or her nomination. Details on the eligibility for nomination as a candidate are set out in section 20 of the District Councils Ordinance," Mr Justice Fung said.
A nomination form must be subscribed by 10 registered electors from the constituency concerned. Each elector may subscribe only one nomination.
"The number of registered electors reached a record high this year. More than 3.55 million geographical constituency electors are eligible to vote in the coming District Council election. I appeal to electors to cast their votes to elect District Councillors to represent them," Mr Justice Fung said.
Should there be more than one validly nominated candidate in a constituency (i.e., a contested election), a poll will be held on November 6. If all 412 constituencies are to be contested, about 560 ordinary polling stations across Hong Kong will open to electors from 7.30am to 10.30pm on the polling day.
Twenty-two dedicated polling stations will be set up in penal institutions for electors who are imprisoned or remanded in the Correctional Services Department's custody to cast their votes. For security reasons, the polling hours in penal institutions will be from 9am to 4pm.
For electors who are remanded or detained by other law enforcement agencies on the polling day, arrangements will be made for them to vote at three dedicated polling stations that will be set up at police stations from 7.30am to 10.30pm.
As in previous elections, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will make every effort to facilitate voting by those with mobility difficulty and ethnic minorities. The REO has also exchanged views with the Equal Opportunities Commission and representatives of relevant organisations earlier on how to assist these electors in voting.
"In this election, over 90 per cent of the polling stations are accessible to electors with mobility difficulty or people who use wheelchairs. The percentage is higher than that in previous elections," Mr Justice Fung said.
"If needed, people with mobility difficulty or those who use wheelchairs may apply to the REO by November 1 for re-allocation to another polling station that is accessible to them. If possible, the REO will also arrange rehab buses to take people with mobility problems to and from polling stations. Separately, there will be suitable measures at polling stations to assist ethnic minorities to understand the voting procedures and to vote," he said.
In this election, the maximum election expenses a candidate can incur is $53,800. A candidate who is elected or obtains 5 per cent of the total number of valid votes is eligible to apply for financial assistance. In relation to a contested election, the amount of financial assistance payable to a candidate is the lowest of (i) $12 times the candidate's number of valid votes, (ii) half of the election expenses limit, or (iii) the candidate's declared election expenses.
Mr Justice Fung urged those who intend to run in the election to read carefully the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the District Council Election released today and the relevant electoral legislation. They should strictly abide by the relevant regulations.
Information about the District Council election is available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.
Ends/Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:53
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