Veto option for Hong Kong's 2017 election could be considered, says top official

A voting option allowing Hongkongers to veto all candidates in the 2017 chief executive election has gained more currency as a means to break the political deadlock after a top official said it "could be an option to consider".

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung SC said yesterday that definitions of blank and invalid votes would need further clarification in the legal provisions to avoid confusion and potential court challenges.

"The so-called blank vote could refer to those writing nothing on the ballots or those regarded as invalid votes in accordance to the existing laws, or it could also refer to adding a 'none of the above' option on top of the two or three candidates," he said.

Yuen is the second key official, after Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who has refused to rule out the idea ahead of the second round of consultation on reform, which is expected to begin this month.

"From a purely legal perspective, the matter could be dealt with at the stage of local legislation … [and] be considered in future discussions," Yuen said.

But he added any changes would need to consider the electoral system as a whole, including other elections in Hong Kong.