The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (January 20) visited the polling station for Kaifong Representative Election for Cheung Chau Market Town on the last polling day of the 2019 Rural Ordinary Election (ROE).

     The 2019 ROE is arranged as stipulated in the Rural Representative Election Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, which is conducted by the Home Affairs Department and supervised by the Electoral Affairs Commission. The Ordinance covers two types of rural representatives to be elected in accordance with the law, namely the Village Representatives and the Kaifong Representatives. The Village Representative (including Indigenous Inhabitant Representative and Resident Representative) Election was held on two consecutive Sundays from January 6 to 13, while today is the polling day of the Kaifong Representative Election.

     "I am delighted to see the Kaifong Representative Election is properly arranged. I believe today's election will be held smoothly," Mr Lau said.

     Mr Lau also expressed his gratitude to all supporting parties, especially the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, and Commission members Professor Fanny Cheung and Mr Arthur Luk, SC. They have been working tirelessly to monitor the polling and counting of votes to ensure the election is held in accordance with the law.

     There are 82 validly nominated candidates in the Kaifong Representative Election. 65 candidates from Cheung Chau Market Town contest for 39 seats, while the 17 candidates of the Kaifong representatives of Peng Chau Market Town were returned uncontested.

Ends/Sunday, January 20, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:35

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