Time to exercise your right and vote for a better Hong Kong
- Despite the government’s all-out efforts, there are concerns that voter turnout for Sunday’s District Council may still be on the low side. But given the importance of district administration, voting is always in the city’s interest
Hong Kong goes to the polls on Sunday to return a new league of district representatives under the so-called “patriots-only” electoral principle.
This is also the second time the Beijing-imposed governance model is put to the test in a citywide ballot, after a similar revamp of the Legislative Council election drew an embarrassingly low turnout two years ago.
That is why the government has launched massive campaigns encouraging people to vote this time.
It is almost certain that the turnout will be lower than that in the last District Council election, in which the opposition swept into victory with a historic high 71.23 per cent turnout fuelled by the 2019 social unrest.
Whether Sunday’s vote can surpass the post-handover low of 30.2 per cent in the Legco polls shall be closely watched.
With 171 contenders vying for 88 places in the 44 geographical constituencies and another 228 aspirants running for 176 seats in the 18 district committee constituencies, the races are arguably still competitive to a certain extent.
But the atmosphere is definitely no match to those in previous elections. The voting incentive may be further dampened after some moderate democrats and Beijing-friendly aspirants failed to secure enough nominations to come forward under the much-criticised nomination mechanism.
Despite the government’s all-out efforts urging people to vote, there are concerns that the turnout may still be on the low side.
With the number of directly elected seats significantly reduced and candidates screened, it would not be surprising if some voters feel alienated and vote with their feet today.
Officials denied they were trying to boost the turnout, saying voting is always a civic duty.
But the unprecedented large-scale promotions, including mobilising civil servants to vote as well as running intensive TV commercials and staging variety shows, shows the government could not afford another embarrassing setback.
The campaigns have been so overwhelming that observers say they may create fatigue and backfire.
There are always those who will just stay away from the ballot box regardless of the electoral methods.
The revamp seeking to screen out those who do not love the country or pose a threat to national security has given voters another dimension to consider.
But while some may shun the ballot, the changes also have an appeal to loyal and new government supporters, as reflected in the 1.35 million who voted in the Legco polls.
In any case, a high participation rate can enhance the recognition of the election and support in the work of the councils.
Given the importance of the structure in district administration, a high voter turnout is always in the city’s interest. Exercise your right and vote for a better Hong Kong
