Hong Kong’s legislative election records a 31.9% turnout, the second-lowest ever, as voting proceeds under Beijing’s revamped ‘patriots only’ electoral system
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s legislative election has recorded the second-lowest voter turnout rate on record.
Sunday’s poll saw a 31.9% turnout, according to figures published early Monday by the Registration and Electoral Office.
Just 1.3 million people cast ballots from a total of 4.1 million registered voters.
The election was conducted under Beijing’s revamped “patriots only” electoral system, first implemented in 2021.
That year’s election under the new rules saw a record low turnout of 30.2%.
Authorities were set to declare winners overnight at the city’s Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The 2021 overhaul slashed directly elected seats to 20 out of 90 in the legislature.
Sunday’s race featured 161 government-vetted candidates.
The two largest former pro-democracy parties, the Civic Party and the Democratic Party, were absent.
Political campaigning was interrupted in late November by a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court.
The blaze killed at least 159 people, making it Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades.
On Sunday night, volunteers and government-arranged cleaners cleared a makeshift memorial for victims at a nearby park.
Police had warned the scene had parallels to the 2019 pro-democracy protests.
One woman who lost her home in the fire said the next lawmakers “should monitor the government”.
“Whoever is at fault must be held responsible,” said the woman, surnamed Poon.
Another resident, Kitty Lau, said diverse voices should be heard in the tragedy’s aftermath.
Hong Kong leader John Lee urged residents to vote, saying it was a vote “to protect those affected by the disaster”.
The anti-corruption watchdog had arrested 11 people for telling others not to vote or to cast invalid ballots.
Police have arrested at least 15 people from construction companies as part of their probe into the fire.
Authorities have also warned against crimes that “exploit the tragedy” and made sedition arrests.
On Saturday, police confirmed the arrest of a 71-year-old man for “prejudicing a national security investigation”.
China’s national security agency in Hong Kong summoned international media representatives on Saturday.
It warned them not to “cross the legal red line” in their election and fire coverage. – AFP
