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Voters called on to vote in Election Committee Subsector Elections today (with photos)
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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

     The 2011 Election Committee Subsector Elections are being held today (December 11). Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, appealed to registered voters to cast their ballots.

     Speaking after inspecting the polling station at Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall, Mr Justice Fung said, "The voting procedure is very simple and voters should exercise their civic rights."

     "Voters should bring their identity document to the designated polling station specified on their poll card, use the pen provided to shade the ovals next to the name of each chosen candidate on the ballot paper, and put the marked ballot paper into the envelope provided before putting it into the ballot box in the direction as shown by the arrow on the envelope. Voters are reminded not to fold the ballot paper or the envelope," he said.

     "Voters should note that they cannot vote for more than the prescribed number of seats in the relevant subsector. Otherwise, the ballot paper will become invalid and will not be counted. The number of seats allocated to a subsector is marked clearly on each ballot paper.

     Introductory leaflets of candidates printed by the Registration and Electoral Office are also available at all polling stations for reference by voters, he said.

     Mr Justice Fung also reminded voters to read carefully the address of the designated polling station on their poll card to ensure that they go to the right polling station. They may only vote at the designated polling station allocated to them.

     A total of 110 ordinary polling stations and 11 dedicated polling stations are open today for about 237 000 registered voters to cast their ballots. A total of 1 300 candidates are contesting 766 seats in 24 subsectors.

     As at 10.30am, 4 870 voters have voted, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 2.05%.

     The polling hours for the ordinary polling stations and the two dedicated polling stations set up at police stations are from 7.30am to 10.30pm. For security reasons, the nine dedicated polling stations set up in penal institutions will open from 9am to 4pm.

     Once the poll is closed, ballot boxes of the ordinary polling stations and the dedicated polling stations will be delivered to the central counting station at Halls 3B-3E of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai where counting of votes will take place. Members of the public can observe the counting process at the designated public area (i.e. Hall 3E) inside the central counting station from 10pm.

     Election results will be announced by the Returning Officers at the central counting station.

     Mr Justice Fung and Commission members Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai will visit various polling stations across Hong Kong today to observe their operations.

     Voters who do not have a poll card with them 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 elections.

     A complaints hotline, 2827 7251, will also 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, December 11, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:34

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