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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, called on registered electors to cast their votes as early as possible in the District Council Election today (November 6).
"Voting is very simple. It takes only a few minutes for electors to exercise their civic rights," Mr Justice Fung said after visiting the polling station at Hong Kong Park Sports Centre this morning.
"All electors need to do is to bring their identity document to the designated polling station specified on their poll card, use the chop provided to stamp a 'tick' on the ballot paper in the circle next to the chosen candidate's name, and fold the ballot paper inward in half once before putting it into the ballot box," he said.
Mr Justice Fung reminded electors to read carefully the address of the designated polling station on their poll card to ensure that they visit the correct polling station. They may only vote at the designated polling station allocated to them.
A total of 452 ordinary polling stations and 25 dedicated polling stations across Hong Kong are open today for about 2.9 million registered electors to cast their votes. 839 candidates are competing for 336 seats in the election.
The ordinary polling stations and the three dedicated polling stations set up at police stations are open to electors from 7.30am to 10.30pm. For security reasons, the 22 dedicated polling stations set up in penal institutions will open from 9am to 4pm.
As at 10.30am, 195,095 electors have voted, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 6.73%.
Mr Justice Fung and Commission members Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai, will inspect various polling stations across Hong Kong today to see for themselves how electoral activities are conducted.
Electors who do not have a poll card in hand may call the election hotline on 2891 1001 to enquire about where to vote. The hotline will be in service until 11pm to answer enquiries relating to the election.
A complaints hotline at 2827 7251 will operate until 10.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Hourly voter turnouts and election results will be available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).
Ends/Sunday, November 6, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:53
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