In the end, the result was a surprise to no one. But the contest for chief executive was surprisingly lively and showed how eager Hongkongers are to be involved in how their city is run.
We saw lively TV debates. We saw presidential-style walkabouts. We saw demonstrations both of support and opposition. In short, we saw the greatest level of public engagement of any leadership election process since the handover.
Even though they had no say in the ultimate decision, people showed their desire to participate. Now, the challenge facing Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is how to satisfy the expectations created by the election process, as we move towards an era when the public will have a real say.
If he is to harness this positive energy, Mr Tsang must broaden his support base during his five-year term. An unrepresentative administration can quickly and easily lose touch. It is for this reason that we repeat our belief that he should establish a ruling coalition.
During his election campaign, the chief executive promised a closer relationship between the government and the Liberal Party in his second term. We welcome that because we want our voice, and the voices of those we represent, to be heard at the very heart of government.
We believe Mr Tsang's administration should consult closely with government-friendly parties before making decisions. We believe that, in forming policies, Mr Tsang should aim to listen more to the voices of elected representatives and less to those of unelected officials. Involving our party actively in the policy-making process is a broader matter than simply having one or more of our members sitting in the Executive Council. That arrangement often results in tension between our party and the executive, when policies or their subsequent legislation are presented in the Legislative Council.
Such confrontations can only be averted if there is adequate consultation and compromise before final decisions are made.
The Liberal Party believes that, unless the existing mode of co-operation is changed - to accommodate two-way communication between ourselves and the executive in policy-making - it will be extremely difficult for us to have a working partnership in Legco.
No Liberals will serve on Exco during Mr Tsang's second term, but that that doesn't mean we don't support his government. It's just that there is no point in our being part of a process that renders us ineffective as representatives of the people.
We would prefer our voice and the voices of those we represent to be heard in other ways. We could continue to meet the chief executive regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern. Alternatively, policy secretaries could consult us before announcing new policies. Some important and controversial decisions lie in wait for Mr Tsang, and he cannot make them without consulting widely and listening closely.
He has proposed a cross-sector competition law. and there is every indication that he will move to legislate a minimum wage law. Before these laws are implemented, it is crucial that the administration consult widely so that the community can appreciate the likely consequences of such regulatory regimes.
It is in Hong Kong's interest that Mr Tsang is seen to consult and to listen: broad-based support is essential to ensure effective governance.
In his election campaign, Mr Tsang repeatedly said he wanted to listen to the people. Now is the time to put those words into action. Now is the time to revamp Exco, to consider a ruling coalition that allows government-friendly political parties to function as bridges between the executive and the people.
Only by giving parties a chance to participate in government can the political infrastructure be fine-tuned - and the talents of representatives be groomed to serve the people who elect them.
James Tien Pei-chun is chairman of the Liberal Party