HK poll turnout nears record low amid grief over deadly fire
Hong Kong saw a near record-low voter turnout in a legislative election over the weekend that was tightly controlled to remove prodemocracy candidates, government statistics showed on Monday, as residents continued to grieve for some 160 lives lost in the territory’s worst blaze in decades.
Amid authorities’ all-out efforts to boost voter turnout in Sunday’s poll, the figure edged up to 31.9 percent from 30.2 percent in the previous vote in 2021, a record low since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said on Monday that the election carried “profound significance” and demonstrated voter support for the government’s “commitment to recovery and reform following the tragedy.”
‘Successful’
China’s office in Hong Kong praised the election as “successful,” saying it marked an “important achievement in further consolidating and developing high-quality democracy in the region.”
It was the second Legislative Council election after electoral rules in the semiautonomous Chinese region were changed in 2021, allowing only those considered “patriots” by a government-led committee to stand for office.
A total of 161 people ran for all 90 seats, but only 20 were directly elected, down from 35 before the reform, with the remainder coming from representatives of different sectors and those chosen by a committee of 1,500 Beijing loyalists.
Coaxed
Residents were coaxed to vote in a massive promotion campaign led by the Hong Kong government.
After casting their ballot, each voter received a card offering discounts at retail stores, movie theaters and free entries to facilities such as museums and swimming pools. Some companies provided a half-day leave for those who voted.
The opening hours of polling stations were two hours longer than in previous elections.
Benett Lam, 43, said he cast his ballot so he could claim the half-day holiday. “I just picked whoever looked the easiest on my eyes. Whoever wins doesn’t make much of a difference, right?” he said outside of a polling station in Wan Chai.
