Poll marks start of a new era in Hong Kong’s political life

The Sunday ballot marks a new chapter in Hong Kong’s history. The record high turnout is the strongest indicator yet of people’s democratic aspirations and desire for change. It also swept a new generation of aspiring young activists into the legislature, raising more uncertainties over governance as well as the city’s future.

There has been a resurgence of interest as a result of the Occupy movement in 2014, the rejection last June by democracy-supporting lawmakers of Beijing’s electoral package for the chief executive poll and growing anti-mainland sentiment that has resulted in the emergence of groups variously labelled as pro-independence, localist and indigenous. Filibustering of Legco business by lawmakers from the democracy camp spurred those supporting the establishment to cast ballots. A younger generation of candidates brought about by new causes and the retirement of long-time legislators also encouraged voters.

It is too early to determine the demographics of those who voted; whether more younger electors than usual cast ballots will be known only after thorough analysis of the polling data. Anecdotal evidence is that it was not only new voters who turned to the fresh faces elected. What is certain, though, is that the body charged with managing the elections, the Electoral Affairs Commission, was unprepared for so high a turnout. It has had to field numerous complaints by electors forced to queue for hours to vote, in one case, at Tai Koo, causing the polling station to close at 2.30am, four hours after it was scheduled to. The vote count only finished after 6pm yesterday.