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 voters to cast their votes in the 2025 Election Committee Subsector By-elections today (September 7) after visiting the Central Command Centre and the Statistical Information Centre located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) this morning.

     Mr Justice Lok said, "In view of the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 issued by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) in the early hours today, the EAC and the Registration and Electoral Office will maintain close communication with the HKO and closely monitor the weather developments. Based on the HKO's latest weather forecast, the Election Committee Subsector By-elections has proceeded today as scheduled. Further notification will be made if there is any other arrangement. As at 11am, 2 369 voters across all polling stations have voted, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 65.24 per cent.

     "Voters and authorised representatives (ARs) are required to vote at their designated polling station as specified on their poll card. The Electronic Poll Register (EPR) system is used to issue ballot papers at the ordinary polling stations in the By-elections. A voter or an AR must produce the original of his/her valid Hong Kong identity (HKID) card at the ballot paper issuing desk in the polling station. The polling staff will scan the HKID card of the voter or AR using a tablet of the EPR system to verify the identity by his/her particulars and mark a record on the system before issuing the ballot paper(s).

     "When marking the ballot paper, voters/ARs must fill in the ovals opposite the name(s) of the candidate(s) of their choice with the black pen provided at the polling station, and vote for no more than the prescribed number of seats in the relevant subsector, otherwise the ballot paper will be regarded as invalid. The maximum number of candidates that can be voted for in the subsector concerned will be indicated clearly on the ballot paper. Introduction to Candidates leaflet/booklet on candidates printed by the Registration and Electoral Office are also available at all polling stations for reference by voters/ARs.

     "After marking the ballot paper, a voter or an AR may use the ballot paper checking machine provided at the polling station voluntarily to scan the marked ballot paper(s) in order to check whether the ballot paper(s) has/have been marked according to the electoral law, or directly put the ballot paper(s), unfolded, into the ballot box with the marked side facing down."

     Voters/ARs can check the approximate waiting time of each polling station on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). Relevant signage will also be placed outside the polling stations for reference. Depending on the waiting situation and their schedule, voters/ARs can make their own arrangements on when to vote.

     Once the poll is closed, all ballot boxes will be delivered to the Central Counting Station (CCS) at the HKCEC for counting. Candidates, election agents and counting agents may enter the CCS and observe the count at designated areas of the counting zone. Members of the public and media may also enter the public area of the CCS to observe the count. Once the counting of votes is completed, the election results will be declared by the Returning Officers to the candidates and their agents at the counting zone. The election results of each subsector will be announced again by the Returning Officers on the stage of the Media Centre later. A public gallery will be set up at the Media Centre for members of the public to watch the announcement. The election results will be displayed outside the CCS (including the Media Centre) and published via press releases and the election website.

     Five ordinary polling stations (located in the Exhibition Gallery at Hong Kong Central Library, Kowloon Park Sports Centre, Wai Tsuen Sports Centre, Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre and Che Kung Temple Sports Centre) and one dedicated polling station at Happy Valley Police Station are open from 9am to 6pm today for about 3 600 voters/ARs to cast their votes. In the By-elections, there are 28 candidates contesting a total of 21 seats in six subsectors. The six contested subsectors are commercial (third); architectural, surveying, planning and landscape; technology and innovation; labour; representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of Hong Kong and Kowloon; and representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of the New Territories.

     Mr Justice Lok and EAC Members Professor Daniel Shek and Mr Bernard Man, SC, will respectively inspect different polling stations this afternoon to see for themselves how electoral activities are conducted.

     The election hotline at 2891 1001 will be in service until 6.30pm today to answer enquiries relating to the By-elections. Two complaints hotlines at 2827 7251/3707 0188 will also operate until 6.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.

     Hourly voter turnouts and election results will be available on the election website.

Ends/Sunday, September 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 13:50

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