Carrie Lam expected to lay out plan to expand voting for Hongkongers on mainland China in next week’s policy address

The plan would amend election laws to establish polling stations in mainland cities where the Hong Kong government has a presence, according to a source

One prominent opposition member, meanwhile, has vowed to try to block the amendments ‘by all means’

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A plan to expand voting for Hongkongers living on the mainland has prompted concerns in the opposition camp. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:37pm, 9 Oct 2020Updated: 5:59pm, 3 Nov 2020

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is expected to unveil in her fourth policy blueprint next Wednesday a plan to amend election laws to allow Hongkongers living in the Greater Bay area, as well as the rest of the mainland, to cast ballots in the city’s elections.

A source familiar with the government’s position told the Post the administration hoped the amendment bill could be passed by the Legislative Council by early next year, with the new rules in place in time for the postponed Legco elections, currently scheduled for September 5, 2021.

But opposition lawmakers warned the move would undermine the fairness and integrity of the vote, and vowed to block the passage of the amendment “by all means”.

Under the plan, Hong Kong permanent residents living on the mainland would be allowed to cast ballots in polling stations set up at the city government’s offices there, without having to travel back to the city.

“The government needs to take into account technical issues like manpower when it decides the number of polling stations to be set up in mainland offices,” the source said. “The Hong Kong government’s offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are likely to be the locations where the first batch of polling stations on the mainland will be set up.”