**********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today (June 13) released for public consultation the proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the Chief Executive Election.
Speaking at a press conference today, the EAC Chairman, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, said, "The 2017 Chief Executive Election will be held on March 26 next year. The EAC has drawn up a new set of proposed guidelines for the election. The guidelines are now for public consultation for 14 days until June 26.
"The proposed guidelines have been prepared on the basis of the existing guidelines with suitable alterations to reflect the latest amendments made to the relevant electoral legislation.
"In addition, changes include elaboration of certain parts to make them easier to understand, with most of the amendments seeking to align the content with the other electoral guidelines. Similar changes have also been incorporated in the guidelines for the District Council Election published last year, and the proposed guidelines for the Legislative Council Election and proposed guidelines for the Election Committee Subsector Elections issued in recent months."
Pursuant to the Maximum Amount of Election Expenses (Chief Executive Election) Regulation, the election expense limit has been revised from $13 million to $15.7 million.
The proposed guidelines have also revised certain technical details in connection with the electoral procedures for alignment of the electoral arrangements of the Chief Executive Election with other public elections.
With regard to the publication of election advertisements on the Internet, the proposed guidelines remind candidates and netizens that the statutory definition of election advertisement is very wide. It encompasses any material or message published publicly by any means for the purpose of promoting or prejudicing the election of a candidate or candidates at an election. Therefore, any message published through the Internet, for example websites and social media platforms, to promote or prejudice the election of any candidate would constitute an election advertisement under the law.
"The statutory definition has all along been there and is not a new requirement stipulated by the EAC. However, if members of the public merely share or forward 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 will not normally be construed as publishing election advertisements," Mr Justice Fung said.
Changes to other chapters of the proposed guidelines include reminding candidates to adopt measures to safeguard the privacy of voters and the media to observe the principle of fair and equal treatment to all candidates, and updating the application procedures and enhanced measures pertaining to the conduct of exit polls.
Written representations can be sent to the Commission's Secretariat by post to 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; by fax to 2511 1682; or by email to eacenq@reo.gov.hk before the deadline. Late submissions will not be considered.
A public forum will be held from 7.30pm to 9pm on June 16 (Thursday) at Quarry Bay Community Hall, 1 Greig Road, Quarry Bay. Members of the public are invited to attend to express their views.
The proposed guidelines can be downloaded from the EAC website (www.eac.gov.hk). They are also available at the Registration and Electoral Office and the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the District Offices.
For enquiries, please call 2891 1001.
Ends/Monday, June 13, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:25
NNNN
