Polling date for the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election gazetted
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The Chief Executive has, in accordance with section 27 of the District Councils Ordinance (Cap. 547), specified the date for holding the seventh District Council Ordinary Election. The District Committees constituency election and the District Council geographical constituency election will be held on the same day. The date was published in the Gazette today.
On the other hand, the nomination period for the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election (including the elections of the District Committees constituency and the District Council geographical constituency) will run from October 17 to October 30. The Chief Electoral Officer will publish a notice specifying the period within and address at which nomination forms are to be submitted, and announce the relevant details in due course.
The District Councils (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 was published in the Gazette and came into effect on July 10, enabling the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" to also be fully implemented at the district governance level. The seventh-term District Councils will strictly adhere to the positioning under the Basic Law to carry out advisory and services functions, duly contribute to the Government's district governance work, and effectively respond to the expectations of the public.
The Government spokesman said, "The Government will endeavor to ensure that the seventh term District Councils will assume office on January 1, 2024 as scheduled, fully support the Electoral Affairs Commission to prepare and conduct the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election in accordance with the relevant amended electoral law, and ensure that the election will be open, fair, honest, and be safely and orderly conducted in an efficient and user-friendly manner. The Government also encourages individuals with talents and aspirations who are patriotic and have an affection for Hong Kong to serve the community by actively participating in the election, and appeals to voters for exercising their civil rights by casting their votes, so as to elect the new term of aspiring and capable District Councils members for providing advisory services to the Government and serving the local community."
The spokesman also said, "Apart from reforming the District Councils, the Government has further improved the district governance system. The Steering Committee and Task Force on District Governance, which are led by the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration respectively, have been established to strengthen the high-level leadership and co-ordination capability of district work and to co-ordinate with relevant policy bureau and departments to effectively take forward the implementation of policies and measures at district level, thereby resolving cross-district livelihood issues effectively. At present, the relevant committee and task force have set clear work objectives and relevant policy measures, and are actively following up their implementation in order to continuously enhance the efficacy of district governance, provide timely and caring services to the public, so as to enable the public to garner a greater sense of achievement and satisfaction."
Ends/Monday, July 24, 2023
Issued at HKT 14:05
Issued at HKT 14:05
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