Candidates drum up support for polls amid concerns over turnout
THE turnout for today's Legco Election Committee subsector polls may be hit by apathy, with voters reluctant to go to polling stations on a Sunday.
In 1998, polling day fell on a weekday and there were only a few polling stations, usually located near workplaces. This year, there are more than 100 stations and voters can cast their ballot at the station closest to their home regardless of the subsector they belong to.
More than 160,000 voters are eligible to cast ballots in today's poll, with stations open from 7.30am until 10.30pm. A total of 723 candidates are contesting 482 seats. The remaining 318 seats are ex-officio or uncontested.
Edward Chow Kwong-fai, who is running on a joint ticket with 15 others including Executive Councillor Tim Chung Shui-ming in the accountancy subsector, feared that his electorate might not be as eager to come forward to vote as it did in 1998.
He said transport had been provided to help voters to go to polling stations last time. However, with the stations scattered throughout the SAR, it was not possible to do the same thing this year.
In the legal subsector, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, who represented the legal profession in the first SAR legislature, sent out reminders urging people to cast their votes.
In 1998 the turnout for the legal subsector was 38 per cent. Ms Ng believed the turnout this year would not be lower than last time because the Election Committee would probably be given the task of selecting the next Chief Executive.
Thirty-five candidates are contesting 20 seats in the legal subsector.
Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, who represented the sports, performing arts, culture and publication constituency in the first SAR legislature, also acknowledged turnout in his subsector may be low but he urged people to come forward.
The 800-member Election Committee will select six lawmakers on September 6.
More than 40 per cent of people said today's election was 'not democratic', according to a Democratic Party survey released yesterday.
The survey of 412 people found one-third did not know today was election day. However, 21.4 per cent knew today was the final of the Miss Hong Kong contest.
