The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
　　The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, called on registered voters/authorised representatives of corporate voters (ARs) to cast their votes in the 2021 Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections today (September 19).
Mr Justice Fung reminded voters/ARs to bring the original of their Hong Kong Identity Card to the polling station specified on the poll card to vote after visiting the polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai this morning.
"An Electronic Poll Register (EPR) system is used for the first time to issue ballot papers at polling stations in this election. A voter/AR must show his/her Hong Kong Identity Card and temporarily pull his/her mask aside at the ballot paper issuing desk as instructed. The polling staff will scan the voter/AR's Hong Kong Identity Card with the tablet camera of the EPR system and issue ballot paper(s). The voter/AR can check his/her name, partial Hong Kong Identity Card number and type(s) of ballot paper(s) issued to him/her as shown on the tablet on the ballot paper issuing desk during the issuance process,” he said.
"Voters/ARs must use the black pen provided by the polling station to fill in the oval next to the name of each chosen candidate on the ballot paper when voting. Then put the marked ballot paper into the envelope and put into the ballot box following the direction printed on the envelope. Voters/ARs should not fold the ballot papers and the envelopes.
"Voters/ARs should vote for no more than the prescribed number of seats in the relevant subsector, otherwise the ballot paper will be regarded as invalid. The maximum number of candidates that can be voted for in the subsector concerned will be indicated clearly at the top of the ballot paper."
Introduction booklets on candidates printed by the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) are available at all polling stations for reference by voters/ARs.
"In accordance with the law, only registered voters/ARs in the 2021 Election Committee subsectors final register of voters are eligible to vote on the polling day. If voters have not yet received their poll card, they can log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) to check whether they are registered voters/ARs and their designated polling station, or call the election hotline (2891 1001) for enquiries," he added.
"Also, two queues are set up at the polling station for the first time. One queue is for people aged 70 or above, pregnant women and those who have difficulties in standing for a long time to queue due to their physical condition, while another is for other voters/ARs. The Presiding Officers will flexibly deploy ballot paper issuing desks with a view to reducing the overall waiting time."
In response to the COVID-19, various disease prevention measures have been implemented in the polling stations, which include requiring all polling staff to wear masks; not allowing staff with fever symptoms to perform election duties; and requiring candidates, their agents and voters/ARs to wear their own masks, use hand sanitiser and have their body temperature checked before entering polling stations; a voter/AR with fever symptoms will be directed to a special voting compartment in the polling station to vote, and the compartment will be disinfected by staff after each use. Voters/ARs should maintain social distancing.
Five ordinary polling stations located in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai; Kowloon Park Sports Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui; Tuen Mun Town Hall; Sha Tin Town Hall; and Princess Alexandra Community Centre, Tsuen Wan; and one dedicated polling station at Cheung Sha Wan Police Station are open from 9am to 6pm for about 5 000 registered voters/ARs to cast their votes. There are 412 candidates contesting a total of 364 seats in 13 subsectors.
As at noon, 2 245 voters/ARs have voted, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 45.92 per cent.
　　
Upon the close of the poll, the ballot boxes of the ordinary polling stations and the dedicated polling station will be delivered to the central counting station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre where the counting of votes will take place. All election results will be announced at the media centre in the central counting station. Members of the public could observe the counting process at the designated area of the media centre. Given that social distancing should be maintained among the people in the venue, there will be about 350 seats in the public gallery. Admission to the public gallery will be opened from 6.30pm on September 19 on a first come, first served basis. To facilitate admission control, members of the public admitted to the public gallery will be required to wear a wristband provided by the REO for identification purpose. Disease prevention measures will also be implemented in the central counting station, including requiring everyone to wear a mask, use hand sanitiser and have their body temperature checked.
Mr Justice Fung and EAC Members Mr Arthur Luk, SC, and Professor Daniel Shek inspected the polling stations today to see for themselves how electoral activities were being conducted.
The election hotline at 2891 1001 will be in service until 6.30pm to answer enquiries relating to the election. A complaints hotline at 2827 7251 will also operate until 6.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Hourly voter turnouts and election results will be available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).
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