Electoral integrity must be upheld
A series of irregularities unearthed by the media shortly after the district council polls last month has aroused concerns that our voter registration system may be too loose and prone to abuse. Officials have responded by taking steps to tighten the arrangements. It is good to see that the need to plug the loophole has finally been recognised by the government. Hopefully, this will help rebuild confidence in Hong Kong as a place where elections are clean and fair.
It is surprising that the voter registration system has not been reviewed for almost four decades. Blind spots have been uncovered which can be overcome by the taking of a few simple steps. At present, voters only need to make a declaration on the registration form. Proof of their residential address is not required, nor are there checks on the information provided.
Even if a dozen voters with different surnames register with the same address, action is not taken. It was not until allegations of vote-rigging emerged that authorities saw the need for a review. It is another example of steps only being taken to improve something after the damage has been done.
New voters will be required to provide proof that they live at the address they register with. People who fail to report a change of address but still vote could face penalties - even a jail term. Random checks on voters' addresses - about 100,000 to 180,000, or three to five per cent of the electorate - will be carried out. The measures may appear to be too little and too late, but with the Legislative Council elections due in September next year they are essential steps to curb irregularities.
No doubt some will find the new requirements troublesome and may be deterred from registering. That would be unfortunate.
But there is no room for compromise as far as fairness is concerned. Even if that means the number of voter registrations may drop a little as a result, it is worth paying the price to uphold the integrity of our electoral system.
