131 votes cast in first hour of Eastern District Council by-election

     131 electors (1.5 per cent) voted in the first hour of the Eastern District Council Kai Hiu Constituency by-election which opened at 7.30am today (June 10). (The voter turnout figures are only for temporary reference.)

     Two polling stations will remain open until 10.30pm today for 8 728 registered electors in the constituency to cast their votes. They are located at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong-Chai Wan Centre, Units 1-10, G/F, Sui Lok House, Siu Sai Wan Estate, Chai Wan, Hong Kong and the Siu Sai Wan Community Hall, G/F, Siu Sai Wan Complex, 15 Siu Sai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.

     A dedicated polling station has been set up at Chai Wan Police Station, 6 Lok Man Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong for electors in the Kai Hiu Constituency who are remanded or detained by law enforcement agencies other than the Correctional Services Department (CSD) to cast their votes. The polling hours are from 7.30am to 10.30pm.

     Electors in the constituency who are imprisoned or remanded in the CSD's custody can cast their ballots at four dedicated polling stations set up at their respective penal institutions. For security reasons, the polling hours are from 9am to 4pm.

     The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah and EAC member Mr Arthur Luk, SC, will visit the polling stations this morning.

     "Electors are advised to cast their votes as early as possible and read carefully the address of the designated polling station on their poll cards indicating where they should cast their votes," a spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office said.

     "Electors must bring the original of their Hong Kong identity card or other specified alternative documents to the designated polling station to collect their ballot paper to cast vote. Voting is very simple. Electors must use the chop provided by the polling stations to stamp the ballot paper with a tick in the circle opposite the name of the chosen candidate, and fold the ballot paper inward in half before putting it into the ballot box," he said.

     Once the poll is closed, the polling stations at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong-Chai Wan Centre and the Siu Sai Wan Community Hall will be converted into counting stations. The public will be able to watch the vote counting within the designated area at the counting stations.

     To protect the secrecy of votes, the ballot boxes at the dedicated polling stations will be delivered to the main counting station at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong-Chai Wan Centre for opening after the close of polling. The ballot papers concerned will be mixed with the ballot papers cast at the main counting station before counting.

     The election results will be announced at the counting station at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong-Chai Wan Centre.

     An election hotline (2891 1001) is in service until 11pm to answer enquiries relating to the by-election.

     A complaints hotline (2827 7251) is also in operation until 11pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules or guidelines.

     The three candidates contesting this by-election are Tan Chun Chun Enki (No. 1), Ishigami Lee Fung-king Alice (No. 2) and Chik Kit-ling Elaine (No. 3).