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The 2012 voter registration campaign for the Village Representative Election (VRE) was launched today (June 11).
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) appealed to all eligible persons who had not registered as electors and wanted to have their names on this year's register to submit their applications for voter registration by July 16.
There are two types of village representatives, namely Indigenous Inhabitant Representatives (IIR) and Resident Representatives (RR). An IIR, returned by indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village, is to reflect the views of the indigenous inhabitants of the village and deal with affairs relating to the lawful traditional rights and interests and the traditional way of life of those indigenous inhabitants.
A RR, returned by residents (both indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants) of an Existing Village, is to reflect views on the affairs of the village on behalf of the residents of the village.
"There are different eligibility requirements for registration as voters for these elections, so applicants have to ascertain whether they fulfil the requirements," an HAD spokesman said.
"Indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses, aged 18 or above and holding recognised identity documents, are eligible to be registered as voters in the IIR Election of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village.
"For registration as voters in the RR Election, one must be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 or above and have been a resident of the Existing Village for three years immediately before the date of application for registration, and whose address in the village is his or her principal residential address. Principal residential address means the address of the dwelling place at which the person resides and which constitutes the person's sole or main home.
"If registered electors of the RR Election no longer reside in the village for which they are registered, or the principal residential addresses recorded in the register of electors are no longer the addresses of their sole or main homes, they are disqualified from being registered as electors. It is an offence if they cast their votes in an election."
The spokesman also reminded indigenous inhabitants of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village, their spouses or surviving spouses who are now residing in an Existing Village for at least three years immediately before registration, to submit two separate forms if they wish to register as voters for both elections.
Completed voter registration forms should be forwarded in person, by post, by fax or by electronic means (in which case a digital signature supported by a recognised certificate is required) and should reach the HAD or any District Office on or before July 16, Hong Kong time.
Voter registration forms can be obtained from the HAD, Public Enquiry Service Centres of the District Offices and government offices outside Hong Kong, or downloaded from the VRE website (www.had.gov.hk/vre).
The HAD will publicise the campaign through the VRE website, pamphlets, posters, banners and newspaper advertisements, etc, to encourage eligible persons, including those living overseas, to register as voters.
For enquiries, please call the hotline at 2152 1521.
Ends/Monday, June 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:01
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