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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, today (October 19) called on candidates of the 2015 District Council Ordinary Election to abide by the electoral guidelines and relevant legislation and to co-operate with the Commission and the departments concerned to ensure the election will be conducted in a fair, open, honest and clean manner.
At the briefing for candidates held this evening, Mr Justice Fung briefed candidates on the electoral arrangements and the important points to note when conducting electioneering activities.
Mr Justice Fung explained the regulations relevant to election advertisements, and reminded candidates to abide by the conditions and restrictions for the display of election advertisements. On election advertisements sent by electronic means, Mr Justice Fung explained to candidates the requirements set out in the existing election-related legislation and electoral guidelines.
"A message published through platforms on the Internet, such as websites, social media or communication networks, is an election advertisement if such a message is published for promoting the election of a candidate or prejudicing the election of other candidates.
"If web surfers merely share or forward different candidates' election campaigns through Internet platforms for expression of views and do not intend to promote or prejudice the elections of any candidates, such sharing or forwarding does not fulfil the definition of publishing election advertisements. However, if the web surfers are instructed by the candidate or his/her election helpers to share or forward the election campaigns through Internet platforms with the intention to promote the candidate's election or prejudice the election of other candidates, such an act will be regarded as publication of the candidate's election advertisements," he said.
Mr Justice Fung reminded candidates that the maximum amount of election expenses for the District Council Election is $63,100. A candidate is required by law to declare all the election expenses and election donations received in an election return and submit the return and declaration of election expenses and election donations not later than 30 days after the publication in the gazette of the result of the election to the Chief Electoral Officer.
"The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) has prepared a guide and a video on how to complete the return and included them in the candidate's folder for their reference. Candidates should read carefully the information and complete the election return with caution and submit it by the deadline as required by law," he said.
In addition, Mr Justice Fung encouraged candidates to use "household" address labels for posting their promotional mail and email their election advertisements to electors who have provided the REO with their email addresses to conserve the environment. He also reminded candidates to take due care in the safekeeping and handling of electors' information.
To help people with visual impairment to read candidates' platforms in the Introduction to Candidates, Mr Justice Fung encouraged candidates to provide the text version of the document for uploading to the election website, so that people with visual impairment can read the information online using software aids.
Today's briefing session was arranged for candidates in the nine districts on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, while the session tomorrow (October 20) will be for candidates in the other nine districts in the New Territories and Islands.
After each briefing session, the Returning Officers determine by drawing lots the order of names of the candidates in their respective districts on ballot papers and the allocation of designated spots for election advertisements.
A total of 951 nominations were received for the District Council Election. The number of valid nominations is 935, eight nominations were withdrawn and eight nominations were ruled invalid. The list of validly nominated candidates will be published in the Gazette.
The full list of nominations and information on the District Council Election are available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, October 19, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:44
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