Nomination period for Rural By-election gazetted

     The Government gazetted the nomination period for the Rural By-election today (October 18). Nine Rural Representative vacancies will be open for nominations from October 29 to November 11.

     The by-election will return one Resident Representative for each of the seven Existing Villages and one Indigenous Inhabitant Representative for each of the two Indigenous Villages. The seven Existing Villages are Ngong Ping, Hoi Pong Street, Nam A, Tai Long, Pak Sha O, Fung Kong Tsuen and Wang Chau Yeung Uk Tsuen, while the two Indigenous Villages are Kau Sai San Tsuen and Uk Cheung.

     To be eligible for a Resident Representative By-election, a candidate must be a resident of the Existing Village and must have been a resident of the Village for the six years immediately preceding the nomination. His or her principal residential address must be in the Village and "principal residential address" means the address of the dwelling place at which the candidate resides and which constitutes his or her sole or main home. The candidate must also be a registered elector of the Village.

     For an Indigenous Inhabitant Representative By-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant as well as a registered elector of the Indigenous Village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.

     All candidates of both categories must be Hong Kong permanent residents aged 21 or above and each candidate must be nominated by at least five registered electors from the Village concerned. Each elector may nominate only one candidate. No one can stand as a candidate in more than one village.

     Nomination forms are available at the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in the New Territories and the Rural Representative Election website (www.had.gov.hk/rre).

     Nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer concerned between 9am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays, except general holidays.

     The name list of nominated candidates will be uploaded to the Rural Representative Election website for public inspection. The Returning Officer will publish a gazette notice on the list of validly nominated candidates within 14 days after the nomination period.

     A spokesman for the HAD said that if there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same Indigenous Village or Existing Village, a poll would be held for that Village on December 8 (Sunday). Eligible electors will receive a polling notice which specifies the date, time and place of the poll.

     For enquiries, please call 2152 1521 or visit the Rural Representative Election website.