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The provisional registers of electors and omissions lists were released today (June 1) for public inspection until June 25.
About 3.77 million registered electors are contained in the 2016 provisional register for geographical constituencies, which represents a net increase of about 75,000 electors compared to last year, after taking into account about 170,000 who are newly registered and removing the names of about 22,000 and 73,000 electors that have been put on the omissions list due to death and as a result of the inquiry process respectively.
For functional constituencies, about 3.47 million registered electors in the District Council (second) functional constituency are listed in the provisional register, whereas for the other functional constituencies, the number of registered electors is about 239,000. These figures have taken into account newly registered electors, electors who have changed to register between the District Council (second) functional constituency and other functional constituencies, and electors entering the omissions list due to death or as a result of the inquiry process.
"In addition to the applications for new registration, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) has received applications for updating particulars from about 240,000 registered electors of geographical constituencies. The respective provisional registers include all validated applications for registration as electors and applications for changes of particulars. For those who are no longer eligible for registration, their names have been removed from the respective registers and recorded on the omissions lists," an REO spokesman said.
The REO appeals to members of the public to log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk), or call the REO hotline on 2891 1001, to check their own latest registration particulars and whether they are listed on the omissions lists.
"The REO issued reminder letters yesterday to those electors who have been put on the omissions list to remind them once again to take appropriate remedial actions. The envelope is beige in colour and stamped with a red reminder message, 'Immediate action required. Your voting right is at stake.' The letter seeks to remind the recipients to reply by June 25. Upon approval by the Revising Officer, their names and residential addresses will be included in the final register," the spokesman said. (An image of the beige envelope is attached.)
Anyone who has applied to be registered as an elector but does not find his name in the relevant register, or whose name is on the omissions lists, or who finds his particulars incorrectly recorded, may lodge a claim in person with the REO.
If anyone considers that a registered person is not eligible to be registered, he may lodge an objection in person with the REO.
"The statutory deadline for lodging a claim or objection is June 25. The Revising Officer will consider the evidence provided by the applicant to make a ruling in accordance with the legislation," the spokesman said.
The specified forms for claims and objections can be obtained from the REO (10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, or 13/F, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay) and all District Offices. They can also be downloaded from the REO website (www.reo.gov.hk/en/voter/application.htm).
To enhance transparency and assist the persons concerned and members of the public to know which court they should attend, information on the hearings of the claims and objections (including the date and time of the hearings, and the names of the claimants/objectors/electors being objected to) will be uploaded to the REO website before the hearing day.
For the geographical constituencies and the District Council (second) functional constituency, full copies of the provisional register can be inspected during ordinary business hours at the REO on 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. The relevant section of the register pertinent to a particular district is available for public inspection at the respective District Office during its business hours from Monday to Friday. As regards the omissions list for the geographical constituencies and the District Council (second) functional constituency, full copies are available for public inspection at the REO's Harbour Centre office and all District Offices.
For functional constituencies (other than the District Council (second) functional constituency) and Election Committee subsectors, full copies of the provisional registers and omissions lists are available during ordinary business hours for public inspection at the REO's Harbour Centre office in Wan Chai and its office on 13/F, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay. They can also be inspected at the District Offices in Central, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin during their business hours from Monday to Friday.
The REO's ordinary business hours are from 9am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays. Since the statutory deadline for lodging a claim or objection this year, i.e. June 25, falls on Saturday, special arrangements will be made to receive notices of claim and objection by the public from 9am to noon on June 25 at the offices of the REO at Harbour Centre in Wan Chai and Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre.
Statistical information about the provisional registers is available on the voter registration website (www.voterregistration.gov.hk).
The REO will publish the final registers of electors on or before July 25.
Ends/Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 11:16
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