HKU tracking poll has pan-democrats winning 15 geographical seats
An opinion poll has forecast a big victory for the pan-democratic camp in the geographical constituencies in tomorrow's Legislative Council election - but pan- democrats have been warned not to start counting their seats yet.
According to a University of Hong Kong rolling poll, 15 pan-democrats have an "extremely good chance" or "relatively good chance" of winning. Only six Beijing loyalists fall into those categories, it suggests.
In the "super seat" district council constituency, one of the two Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong candidates - Lau Kong-wah and Starry Lee Wai-king - could lose, according to the poll.
But programme director Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu said it might be too early for pan-democrats to celebrate, noting that the proportion of undecided voters had risen to about 30 per cent.
"Some people are perhaps still thinking who to vote for or how they should make the best use of their votes to send their favourite candidates to the legislature," said Chung, who noted earlier that the poll's margin of error could make the predictions inaccurate in a close race.
Some 3.2 million electors, those without a vote in another functional constituency, can vote in the "super seat" constituency, so called because the winners will have a bigger mandate.
Other "super seat" contenders include Chan Yuen-han of the Federation of Trade Unions; Democrats Albert Ho Chun-yan and James To Kun-sun; Frederick Fung Kin-kee of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood; and non-affiliated Pamela Peck Wan-kam.
Meanwhile, the Beijing-loyalist Pui Kiu Middle School has been criticised for getting pupils to canvass support for DAB candidates, including the school's supervisor Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, who is standing in the Hong Kong Island constituency. "I was told to 'learn a lesson' by serving our supervisor as an assistant," A-level graduate Tai Lok said. "But it turned out I became a helper of all other DAB candidates."
Some graduates petitioned at the school in North Point yesterday, saying they might report it to the Electoral Affairs Commission.
Principal Dr Chiu Cheung-ki denied having pushed pupils to lobby for DAB candidates but agreed the school had a good relationship with the party.
Apart from Tsang, 13 individuals or slates are contesting Hong Kong Island: independents Hui Ching-on, Dr Lo Wing-kok, Ng Wing-chun and Ho Kar-tai; Democrat Sin Chung-kai; Christopher Lau Gar-hung of People Power; the DAB's Christopher Chung Shu-kun; Cyd Ho Sau-lan of the Labour Party; Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee of the New People Party; Wong Kwok-hing of the Federation of Trade Unions; Dr Kenneth Chan Ka-lok of the Civic Party; Miriam Lau Kin-yee of the Liberal Party; and Avery Ng Man-yuen of the League of Social Democrats.
