Democrats mobilised 26 for Chan poll bid
The Democratic Party mobilised paid part-time staff to conduct a week-long public opinion poll for Anson Chan Fang On-sang's campaign for the Legco Hong Kong Island seat in December's by-election, her election expenses show.
The former chief secretary's declaration shows 26 workers carried out telephone interviews from late October to early November, one month before polling day. Mrs Chan spent HK$1.81 million on her successful campaign for the seat, the highest amount of the eight candidates.
The declaration to the Registration and Electoral Office on Monday stated the Democratic Party had donated services valued at HK$65,840, of which HK$10,233 was for conducting the opinion polls.
This cost was a combination of salaries paid to the part-time staff, who earned between HK$30 and HK$70 for making telephone calls for three hours a night, and expenses for another 74 volunteers for entering poll data. The volunteers were given HK$50 each.
The Democratic Party sent out about 800 text messages a few days before polling day on December 2, at a cost of HK$383.
Mrs Chan also paid the Civic Party HK$11,707, including expenses for transport and stationery, as well as the salary of the party's administration officer and IT manager. Civic Party lawmaker Mandy Tam Heung-man sent out about 10,000 e-mails for Mrs Chan in late October, which cost HK$401.
In an amendment to a Legco motion last month, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong chairman Tam Yiu-chung criticised Apple Daily's distribution of a pamphlet urging voters to choose Ms Chan, which was not included in the expense declaration.
Mrs Chan has said she operated according to election regulations.
