**********************************************************
The nomination period for the by-election in the Canal Road Constituency of Wan Chai District Council to fill the vacant office of an elected member will run from May 5 to May 18.
"If there is more than one validly nominated candidate, a poll will be held on Sunday, June 21," a spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) said today (April 24).
"A nominee must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 21 or above who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the three years immediately preceding his or her nomination," the spokesman said.
"A nomination form must be subscribed by 10 registered electors of the constituency. Only one nomination can be subscribed by each elector."
The nominee must personally submit the completed nomination form and an election deposit of $3,000 to the Returning Officer for the by-election within the nomination period. Nominations are accepted from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays.
The District Officer (Wan Chai) has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the by-election. His office is located at 21/F Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai.
Nomination forms are available at the office of the Returning Officer and can be downloaded at www.reo.gov.hk .
Nomination forms are also obtainable at the REO at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, and at 10/F, Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai. Both offices will extend their service hours to include Saturday mornings during the nomination period.
The spokesman advised all nominees to hand in their nominations as early as possible so that they would have time to rectify any mistakes before the deadline.
Details of the by-election, the appointment of the Returning Officer and the Assistant Returning Officer, and the appointment of the Nominations Advisory Committee were published in the Gazette today.
Enquiries about the by-election can be made to the election hotline on 2891 1001.
Ends/Friday, April 24, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:01
NNNN