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HK voters go to first polls since pro-democracy protests
Hong Kong, Nov 23: Hong Kong voted today in elections seen as the first test of support for political change since massive pro-democracy protests in July shook the territory and sparked the worst political crisis since its 1997 return to China.
Hong Kong, Nov 23: Hong Kong voted today in elections seen as the first test of support for political change since massive pro-democracy protests in July shook the territory and sparked the worst political crisis since its 1997 return to China.
The district council election was seen by observers as a chance to gauge support for democratic change in the former British colony four months after the unprecedented rallies
rocked chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa's government.
After casting his vote, Tung urged electors "to ensure selection of a candidate who would best reflect their ideas inside the government."
Five hours after polling stations opened at 7:30 am (local time), about 324,481 people, or 13.42 percent of the 2.97 million eligible voters, had cast their ballots, according to officials. This made the turnout around 20 percent higher than at the same point in the last polls in 1999, when more than 35 per cent of the total electorate cast their ballots in all.
The higher turnout prompted Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam to forecast a possible record turnout which he said would illustrate that "Hong Kong people were interested in public affairs".
Lam said a high turnout would have a "positive effect on constitutional development" in the territory as it showed the public were interested in electing representatives "both at the district and the central levels".
Bureau Report
After casting his vote, Tung urged electors "to ensure selection of a candidate who would best reflect their ideas inside the government."
Five hours after polling stations opened at 7:30 am (local time), about 324,481 people, or 13.42 percent of the 2.97 million eligible voters, had cast their ballots, according to officials. This made the turnout around 20 percent higher than at the same point in the last polls in 1999, when more than 35 per cent of the total electorate cast their ballots in all.
The higher turnout prompted Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam to forecast a possible record turnout which he said would illustrate that "Hong Kong people were interested in public affairs".
Lam said a high turnout would have a "positive effect on constitutional development" in the territory as it showed the public were interested in electing representatives "both at the district and the central levels".
Bureau Report