The nomination period for the fifth term Chief Executive Election will begin tomorrow (February 14) and run until March 1. 

     A candidate must submit the completed nomination form in person to the Returning Officer on 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, from 9am to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays, during the nomination period.
      
     "A nomination form must be subscribed by not less than 150 members of the Election Committee and each member can nominate only one candidate," a Registration and Electoral Office (REO) spokesman said.

     A Hong Kong Special Administrative Region permanent resident who is a Chinese citizen, with no right of abode in any foreign country, has reached 40 years of age and has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 20 years, is eligible to be nominated as a candidate. Details on the eligibility and disqualification for nomination as a candidate and manner of nomination are set out in sections 13, 14 and 16 respectively of the Chief Executive Election Ordinance.
      
     Nomination forms are available at the REO at the above-mentioned address and can be downloaded from the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).

     The Chief Executive Election will be held on March 26. All persons, including candidates and their agents, are reminded to strictly observe the electoral legislation and the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the Chief Executive Election.
      
     "According to the electoral guidelines, media organisations are required to observe the established principle of giving 'fair and equal treatment' to candidates to ensure that no favourable or unfavourable treatment will be given to any of the candidates. If media organisations have given 'fair and equal treatment' to all candidates, opinions can be freely expressed on each of the candidates in the relevant programme or article, insofar as the comments are fair and based on true facts.
      
     "People concerned should pay attention to and comply with the legislation in connection with election advertisements and election expenses. Under the law, 'election advertisement' means any form of publication published for the purpose of promoting or prejudicing the election of a candidate or candidates at the election; 'election expenses' mean expenses incurred before, during or after the election period, by or on behalf of the candidate for the purpose of promoting the election of the candidate or prejudicing the election of other candidate(s). A candidate must keep an accurate account of all election expenses incurred and election donations received, and declare them in a timely manner in accordance with the law. Anyone not authorised by a candidate as his or her election expense agent and incurs election expenses on publication of election advertisement is in breach of the law," the spokesman said. 
      
     The relevant legislation and electoral guidelines have been uploaded to the election website. For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.

Ends/Monday, February 13, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:25

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