Arrangements for dedicated polling stations in Chief Executive Election

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     The 2017 Chief Executive Election will be held on March 26. The main polling station will be located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Wan Chai. A dedicated polling station will be set up at Happy Valley Police Station for Election Committee (EC) members remanded in custody or detained by the law enforcement agencies on the polling day to vote. The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will also set up dedicated polling stations at the penal institutions where EC members are being imprisoned or remanded in the Correctional Services Department (CSD)'s custody on the polling day to cast their votes.

     Dedicated polling stations at penal institutions will open for an hour in each round of voting. The first round of voting will start at 9am and close at 10am. Should there be a need for more than one round of voting, the second and third rounds of voting will be held from 2pm to 3pm and from 7pm to 8pm respectively on the same day. The CSD shall assign a time slot within the polling hour for the EC members imprisoned or remanded in custody to vote. The polling hours for the dedicated polling station at Happy Valley Police Station shall be the same as those for the main polling station. The first round of voting will start at 9am and close at 11am. The second and third rounds of voting will be held from 2pm to 3pm and from 7pm to 8pm respectively on the same day.

     A candidate may appoint an election agent or a polling agent to observe the poll at a dedicated polling station which is not situated inside a maximum security prison. Candidates or election agents may make an application by completing and delivering to the Chief Electoral Officer by hand, by post, by electronic mail or by facsimile transmission the specified form which can be downloaded from the REO website. Upon consent by the Commissioner of Correctional Services, election agents or polling agents can observe the poll at a dedicated polling station which is not situated inside a maximum security prison. Only candidates will be allowed to observe the poll at a dedicated polling station situated inside a maximum security prison.

     After each round of voting, the Presiding Officer (PRO) of a dedicated polling station will lock and seal the ballot box before delivering it to the central counting station at the HKCEC, Wan Chai, under police escort. Candidates or their agents may accompany the PRO in the delivery process. Ballot papers cast at dedicated polling stations will be mixed with those cast at the main polling station before the count.

     The number of EC members imprisoned or remanded in custody at each penal institution is updated daily by the REO on the Chief Executive Election website (www.elections.gov.hk) until the day before the polling day (i.e. March 25), for candidates' reference.

Ends/Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:05

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