******************************************************
135 electors (1.77%) had voted in the first hour of the Eastern District Council Tsui Wan Constituency by-election, which started at 7.30am today (September 10) (the voter turnout figures are for temporary reference only).
The polling station, at SKH Li Fook Hing Secondary School, Tsui Wan Street, Tsui Wan Estate, Chai Wan, is open until 10.30pm today for the constituencyˇ¦s more than 7,600 registered electors to cast their votes.
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee and members Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai will inspect the polling station this morning.
The two candidates contesting the by-election are: No 1, Mr Ku Kwai Yiu and No 2, Ms Keung Suk Man.
A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office urged electors to cast their votes as early as possible.
"Voting is very simple. It takes only a few minutes," he said.
"All a voter needs to do is to show his identity card at the polling station, and then use the chop provided to stamp the ballot paper with a tick in the circle opposite the candidate of his choice before putting it into the ballot box."
The polling station for the by-election will be converted into the counting station once the poll is closed. People are welcome to watch the counting of votes at the designated area outside the counting zone.
The results of the poll will be announced in the counting station.
An election hotline, 2891 1001, will operate until 11pm to answer enquiries about electoral matters, including the location of the polling station.
Another hotline, 2827 7251, will be in service until 10.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Ends/Sunday, September 10, 2006
Issued at HKT 08:49
NNNN