Hong Kong district council election: city leader John Lee says officials ‘doing all we can’ to get people to vote

Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday said officials were doing everything they could to encourage the public to vote in next month’s district council election, but sidestepped a question on whether a low turnout could hurt the legitimacy of the revamped poll.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, speaking before the weekly Executive Council meeting, also said the overhaul of the municipal bodies would help the government better understand people’s needs and asked civil servants to set an example by going out to vote.

“We have been doing all we can to [encourage] people to come out to vote,” he said. “It will ensure improved administration of district affairs, resulting in good districts for us to enjoy.”

Authorities earlier this month said they would set up two polling stations in Sheung Shui to ensure Hongkongers living over the border could cast their votes.

The government tasked the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau with the lead role in boosting election promotion efforts by working alongside the Information Services Department. Officials have also used social media to publicise the poll.

The election will be the first since the government revamped the district council system earlier this year as part of a series of changes under Beijing’s “patriots-only” governance model.