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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, called on registered electors to cast their votes in the District Council Ordinary Election today (November 22).
"Voting is very simple. I encourage electors to exercise their civic rights and fulfil their civil responsibilities," Mr Justice Fung said after visiting the polling station at Hong Kong Park Sports Centre this morning.
"All electors need to do is to bring their identity document to the designated polling station specified on their poll card, where they will be issued a ballot paper, use the chop provided to stamp a tick on the ballot paper in the circle next to the chosen candidate's name, and fold the ballot paper inward in half once before putting it into the ballot box," he said.
Mr Justice Fung reminded electors to note the address of the designated polling station on their poll card to ensure that they visit the correct polling station. They may only vote at the designated polling station allocated to them.
"Only those registered electors on the 2015 final register of electors are eligible to vote in the election. If electors did not receive the poll card and are unsure whether they are a registered elector on the registers of electors, they should, before departing for voting, log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) to check whether they are a registered elector and where to vote, or call the election hotline 2891 1001 for enquiries," he said.
A total of 495 ordinary polling stations and 24 dedicated polling stations across Hong Kong are open today for about 3.12 million registered electors to cast their votes. There are 867 candidates competing for 363 seats in the election.
The ordinary polling stations and the three dedicated polling stations set up at police stations are open to electors from 7.30am to 10.30pm. For security reasons, the 21 dedicated polling stations set up in penal institutions will open from 9am to 4pm.
As at 10.30am, 211,978 electors have voted, bringing the accumulative turnout rate to 6.79 per cent.
Mr Justice Fung and Commission members Mr Arthur Luk, SC, and Professor Fanny Cheung will inspect various polling stations across Hong Kong today to see for themselves how electoral activities are being conducted.
The election hotline at 2891 1001 will be in service until 11pm to answer enquiries relating to the election.
A complaints hotline at 2827 7251 will operate until 11pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Hourly voter turnouts and election results will be available on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).
Ends/Sunday, November 22, 2015
Issued at HKT 11:31
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