**********************************************************
A total of 935 nominations for the 2011 District Council election were received by the Returning Officers of the 18 districts at the close of the nomination period at 5pm today (September 28). The nomination period started on September 15 and ran for two weeks.
Forty-eight more nominations were handed in to the Returning Officers today.
A total of seven nominees have submitted the notice of withdrawal of candidature to the Returning Officers in 6 districts today. The nominees withdrew from the polls in Tanner constituency of the Eastern District, Tsim Sha Tsui East constituency of the Yau Tsim Mong District, Tin Ping West constituency of the North District, Tin Ping East constituency of the North District, Hang Hau East constituency of the Sai Kung District, Tin Sum constituency of the Sha Tin District, and Lai King constituency of the Kwai Tsing District. One nominee withdrew from the election in Cheung Chau North constituency of the Islands District and one nominee from the poll in Ma On Shan Town Centre constituency in the Sha Tin District yesterday (September 27).
A full list of the validly nominated candidates for the election will be published in the gazette after the Returning Officers have validated and confirmed the eligibility of candidature of the nominees.
The Electoral Affairs Commission will hold two briefing sessions for candidates at the Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre.
The briefing session for candidates of the nine districts on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon will be held on October 3, while candidates of the other nine districts in the New Territories and Islands will be briefed on October 4.
The briefing sessions will be chaired by the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, who will brief candidates on the important points to note in running their election campaigns and on general electoral arrangements. Representatives from the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Hongkong Post will also be present.
After each briefing session, the Returning Officers will determine by drawing lots the order of the names of candidates of their respective districts on ballot papers and the allocation of designated spots for election advertisements.
For each of the 412 constituencies in the 18 districts across Hong Kong, a poll will be held on November 6 (Sunday) should there be more than one validly nominated candidate in the constituency.
The breakdown of nominations by districts is as follows:
September 28 Cumulative
total
------------ --------------
Hong Kong Island
----------------
Central and Western 2 37
Wan Chai 2 25
Eastern 4 74
(1 candidate
withdrawn)
Southern 1 36
Kowloon
-------
Yau Tsim Mong 4 54
(1 candidate
withdrawn)
Sham Shui Po 5 56
Kowloon City 1 50
Wong Tai Sin 1 52
Kwun Tong 2 70
New Territories
---------------
Tsuen Wan 2 36
Tuen Mun 4 70
Yuen Long 1 60
North 3 47
(2 candidates
withdrawn)
Tai Po 1 39
Sai Kung 1 57
(1 candidate
withdrawn)
Sha Tin 3 77
(2 candidates
withdrawn)
Kwai Tsing 8 69
(1 candidate
withdrawn)
Islands 3 26
(1 candidate
withdrawn)
-----------------------------------------------------
Total 48 935
(9 candidates
withdrawn)
Particulars of the nominees will be available at the election website (www.elections.gov.hk/dc2011/eng/nominat2.html).
Ends/Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 22:10
NNNN
