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The 2011 District Council Election will be held on November 6. The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) has mailed poll cards to about 2.9 million registered electors who are eligible to vote on polling day to inform them of where to vote.
"Electors may only cast their votes at the designated polling station as specified on the poll card. They are advised to read carefully the address of the designated polling station on the poll card to ensure that they visit the correct polling station," a spokesman for the REO said today (October 25).
"Electors who have not yet received their poll cards this week or have any questions about their poll cards can call the election hotline on 2891 1001," he said.
Together with the poll card, the REO has mailed to every elector a map indicating the location of the designated polling station, a voting procedure guide, an introductory leaflet on the candidates in the respective constituency and a leaflet from the Independent Commission Against Corruption on clean elections.
Electors should bring their identity document to the designated polling station in order to cast their vote. They are also advised to take their poll card to the polling station to assist the polling staff in verifying whether they have gone to the designated polling station allocated to them.
"Each registered elector will be allocated to a polling station in his constituency to vote. Due to technical errors, the poll cards sent earlier to some electors of four constituencies contain inaccurate information about their polling stations. The electors concerned were wrongly allocated to another polling station in the same constituency. The constituencies concerned are Siu Tsui constituency in Tuen Mun, Sun Tin Wai constituency in Sha Tin, Wang Tau Hom constituency in Wong Tai Sin and Hiu Lai constituency in Kwun Tong. About 20,000 electors are involved," the spokesman added.
"We have taken immediate follow up action on the matter. The replacement poll cards and the location maps of the polling stations have been mailed to the electors concerned. They should go to the designated polling station allocated to them to vote, which is indicated on the replacement poll card. We have also notified the Returning Officers and the candidates of the constituencies concerned of the above arrangement. In the run-up to polling day and on polling day, we will arrange to put up notices near the premises of the electors concerned to remind and direct them to go to the correct polling station allocated to them," he said.
"The REO has conducted a full scale check of all the poll cards sent to electors so as to make sure that the information on the polling stations allocated to the electors is correct."
As in previous elections, the REO has made every effort to identify venues which are accessible to electors with mobility difficulty for use as polling stations.
"In this election, over 90 per cent of the polling stations are accessible to electors with mobility difficulty or those who use wheelchairs. The percentage is higher than in previous elections. If possible, the REO will install temporary ramps at inaccessible polling stations so that they can be accessible to electors with mobility difficulty," the spokesman said.
The location map enclosed with the poll card specifies clearly whether the designated polling station is barrier-free.
"If needed, electors with mobility difficulty or those who use wheelchairs may apply to the REO by November 1 (i.e. at least five days before the polling day) by telephone (2891 1001) or fax (2891 1180) for re-allocation to a polling station that is accessible to them," he said.
Candidates in 76 of the 412 constituencies in the 18 districts have been elected uncontested. A total of 839 candidates will contest the remaining 336 seats.
The REO will send a notice and an introductory leaflet to about 660 000 registered electors in the 76 uncontested constituencies to inform them of the elected candidate in their respective constituencies.
A total of 452 ordinary polling stations and 25 dedicated polling stations will be open on polling day. The polling hours for the ordinary polling stations and the three dedicated polling stations set up at police stations will be from 7.30am to 10.30pm. For security reasons, the polling hours at the 22 dedicated polling stations set up in penal institutions will be from 9am to 4pm.
Information about the election is available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:50
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