**********************************************************
The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will open four mock polling stations to help electors familiarise themselves with voting procedures in preparation for the Legislative Council Election on September 9.
The mock polling stations will be set up at Leighton Hill Community Hall, Mei Foo Community Hall, Tuen Mun Town Hall and Tai Po Community Centre. While the mock polling stations at Leighton Hill Community Hall and Mei Foo Community Hall will be open from September 3 to 8, those at Tuen Mun Town Hall and Tai Po Community Centre will be open from September 5 to 8. All will be open from noon to 8pm.
"With the introduction of the District Council (second) functional constituency, of the 3,466,000-odd registered geographical constituency (GC) electors, about 3,220,000 electors can cast one vote each in their respective GC and the District Council (second) functional constituency," a spokesman for REO said today (August 26).
"The back of the ballot papers for the GC and the District Council (second) functional constituency are distinguished by patterns in different colours. The pattern on the back of the GC ballot paper is blue while the back of the District Council (second) functional constituency ballot paper is mainly white in colour, which corresponds to the blue ballot box for GCs and the white ballot box for the District Council (second) functional constituency," he said.
"Through participation in mock polling, electors can learn more about the ballot papers, as well as familiarise themselves with the set-up of the polling station, and get to know about the proper voting procedures," the spokesman said.
A hotline (3104 2594) and a fax (2834 0934) have also been set up to arrange appointments for group visits.
Except for Mei Foo Community Hall, the other mock polling stations will not be able to accept pre-arranged group visits on September 8 (Saturday) owing to the need to prepare for the poll the next day.
In addition, since mid-August the REO has started mailing poll cards to every elector in batches. The poll card states where they should cast their votes, and electors should receive them by the end of this month. If electors have not received their poll cards by the end of August, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.
Once the poll closes on September 9, most polling stations will be converted into counting stations for the geographical constituency votes. Ballot boxes for all functional constituencies, including the District Council (second) functional constituency, will be delivered to the Central Counting Station at the AsiaWorld-Expo where the counting of votes will take place.
All counting stations will open to the public once the count commences. Members of the public will be able to watch the counting process at designated areas inside the counting stations.
The REO has made special transport arrangements to facilitate access to the Central Counting Station with the assistance of the AsiaWorld-Expo and the MTR Corporation, while the Transport Department has assisted in making transport arrangements with franchised bus companies.
These special arrangements include adding a bus stop at or relocating the terminus to the AsiaWorld-Expo for ten airport-bound "A" bus routes from 8pm on September 9 and the three overnight "N" bus routes; setting up a special point-to-point express bus route "X1" between Tung Chung Railway Station and the AsiaWorld-Expo from 8pm on September 9 to 1.45am the next morning, and from 6am to 4pm on September 10; offering a special price round-trip Airport Express ticket with same day or two-day validity; and providing a special shuttle bus service between AsiaWorld-Expo and Mong Kok from 1am to 6am on September 10.
As it is expected that the vote count at the Central Counting Station will finish at around noon on September 10 at the earliest, the food and beverage service at the AsiaWorld-Expo will also be strengthened on September 9 and 10 to cater for increased demand.
Please visit the election website (www.elections.gov.hk) for information including the transportation guide, location map, layout plan and food and beverage service of the Central Counting Station.
Ends/Sunday, August 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:01
NNNN
