The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice David Lok, called on registered electors to exercise their civic rights to vote in the District Council Ordinary Election (DCOE) today (December 10).
 
     Mr Justice Lok, together with EAC members Professor Daniel Shek and Mr Bernard Man, SC, visited the District Council geographical constituency (DCGC) ordinary polling station (OPS) at Yaumati Catholic Primary School (Hoi Wang Road) this morning to inspect the operation of the polling station on-site. He said, "The operation of the polling station is smooth. We are confident that the election will be conducted in an open, honest and fair manner.
 
     "More than 600 DCGC OPSs will open until 10.30pm for about 4.33 million electors to cast their votes. The four near boundary polling stations (NBPSs) at two secondary schools near Sheung Shui MTR Station will also remain open until 10.30pm. 18 District Committees constituency (DCC) polling stations will open until 2.30pm. Expected queuing time at the polling stations will be uploaded onto the election website and shown on the signage outside polling stations for electors' reference. Electors may choose what time to vote according to their own arrangement and schedule."
 
     Electors need to bring the original of their Hong Kong identity card to vote at the designated polling station as specified on their poll card. Electors who have successfully registered to vote at the NBPSs may ignore the polling station information on the poll card.
 
     Mr Justice Lok said, "The Electronic Poll Register system is used in most polling stations for issuance of ballot papers in this election. DCGC electors must use the chop provided by the polling station to stamp a tick in the circle opposite the name of the candidate of their choice on the ballot paper, keep the ballot paper unfolded, and then insert the ballot paper into the blue ballot box with the marked side facing down. Each elector can only stamp one tick on the ballot paper for one candidate of their choice (i.e. there can only be one tick marked on the ballot paper). Two candidates obtaining the highest number of votes will be returned.
 
     "For DCCs, electors must use the black pen provided in the polling station to fill in the ovals opposite the names of the candidates of their choice. The ballot paper checking system will be set up in the polling stations for electors to check whether the number of candidates marked on the ballot paper is correct. Electors should insert the unfolded ballot paper into the white ballot box with the marked side facing down."
 
     Mr Justice Lok reminded that the ballot is secret. Electors must mark the ballot papers by themselves inside a voting compartment. In case of need, electors may request the presiding officer to mark the ballot paper in the presence of a polling officer. Interference with other electors who are casting their votes, use of communication devices, taking photographs, making audio and video recording are prohibited inside a polling station. Canvassing, distribution of election advertisements or displaying propaganda materials are also prohibited.
 
     The poll-cum-count practice will be adopted for both DCGCs and DCCs in this election, with vote counting to take place at the same polling stations after the close of polls.
 
     For DCGCs, except for small and dedicated polling stations, polling stations will be converted into counting stations for manual counting of votes.
 
     As for DCCs, after the close of poll at 2.30pm, the polling staff will ensure that the locked and sealed ballot boxes will not be interfered and the computer-assisted counting of votes will only commence until the close of polls for the DCGCs to avoid any possible impact to the election results for the DCGCs due to the early announcement of election results for the DCCs.
 
     Mr Justice Lok said, "Members of the public, including the media, have the right to observe the count with photographing and or video-recording inside the public area of the counting station. A notice setting out the maximum capacity of the public area will be displayed to members of the public outside each counting station.
 
     As at 12.30pm, 502 712 electors have voted for DCGCs, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 11.60 per cent; as for DCCs, 2 248 electors have voted, with an accumulative turnout rate of 88.78 per cent. The latest hourly voter turnout eates and all election results will be published via the election website and in the form of a press release.
 
     Mr Justice Lok and EAC members Professor Daniel Shek and Mr Bernard Man, SC, will inspect a DCC polling station and DCGC OPSs respectively. They will jointly inspect the Central Command Centre and the Statistical Information Centre today to see for themselves how electoral activities are being conducted.
 
     The REO's hotline at 2891 1001 will be in service until 11pm today to answer enquiries relating to the election. A complaints hotline at 2827 7251 will also operate until 11pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
 
     Members of the public may visit the election website (www.elections.gov.hk) for more information about the election.

Ends/Sunday, December 10, 2023
Issued at HKT 13:40

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