Counting of votes for Legislative Council General Election completed smoothly (with photos)

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The counting of votes of the 2021 Legislative Council General Election was completed smoothly at 9.56am today (December 20). The counting of about 1 350 680 geographical constituency ballot papers, about 70 490 functional constituency ballot papers and 1 426 Election Committee constituency ballot papers was completed in about 11 hours after polling ended last night (December 19).
 
     "Overall, the polling and counting processes went very smoothly. The election was conducted in an open, fair and honest manner. The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) is satisfied with the arrangements," the Chairman of the EAC, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, said on the conclusion of the election.
 
     The EAC will do a detailed review of various electoral arrangements. A report will be submitted to the Chief Executive within three months as prescribed by the law.
 
     This election was the largest public election after the Improving Electoral System (Consolidated Amendments) Ordinance 2021 came into effect. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has overcome the challenge of the epidemic and arranged sufficient polling and counting staff as well as law enforcement officers, including the Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Immigration Department to ensure that the election can be held in a smooth, open and efficient manner.
 
     The EAC is very thankful to the government departments involved, especially the members of the Crisis Management Committee including the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau, the Home Affairs Department, the Information Services Department, the Department of Justice and the Civil Aid Service. Mr Justice Fung thanked the Food and Health Bureau as well as the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health for their valuable advice about infection control measures. In addition, the Correctional Services Department and other law enforcement agencies made appropriate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the election.
 
     The Electronic Poll Register (EPR) system was used for the first time on a large scale to issue ballot papers at polling stations in this election. Overall, the ballot issuing process went smoothly. The EAC is very grateful to the three members of the EPR System Technical Advisory Committee including the convener, Mr Sunny Lee (the Vice-President (Administration) of the City University of Hong Kong and the Board Chairman of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute), and two members, Ms Susanna Shen (the Head of Corporate IT of the Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited) and Mr Wilson Wong (the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited). The EAC also thanked the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer for its full support.
 
     The EAC extends its special thanks to the staff of the Registration and Electoral Office (REO), polling and counting staff. There was a large number of polling stations in this election, which involved a lot of manpower and resources. Many colleagues without election experience have stepped up their training to cope with a large amount of work. The EAC would also like to thank the heads of various departments for nominating electoral staff for this election, and for approving them to leave their positions briefly to participate in training and workshops arranged by the REO.
 
     Last but not least, the EAC thanks all electors, candidates and their agents for their co-operation as well as media reporting on the election, so that the polling and counting processes were conducted in an open, fair and honest manner.