The provisional registers of electors and omissions lists were released today (June 1) for public inspection. Members of the public may lodge claims or objections against the entries on the provisional registers and the omissions lists. Such claims and objections should be lodged not later than 6pm on June 23 (Friday).
 
     About 3.8 million registered electors are contained in the 2017 provisional register for geographical constituencies, which represents a net increase of about 26,000 electors compared to last year, after taking into account about 83,000 who are newly registered and removing the names of about 25,000 and 32,000 electors that have been listed on the omissions list due to death and as a result of the inquiry process, etc.
 
     For functional constituencies, about 3.51 million registered electors in the District Council (second) functional constituency are listed in the provisional register, whereas for the other traditional functional constituencies, the number of registered electors is about 237,000. These figures have taken into account newly registered electors, electors who have changed to register between the District Council (second) functional constituency and other traditional functional constituencies, and electors listed on 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 160,000 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 listed 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.
 
     Anyone who has applied to be registered as an elector but does not find his/her name in the relevant register, or whose name is on the omissions lists, or who finds his/her 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/she may also lodge an objection in person with the REO.
 
     "The statutory deadline for lodging a claim or objection is June 25. The dates of June 24 (Saturday) and June 25 (Sunday) do not fall within the ordinary business hours of the Electoral Registration Officer. Therefore members of the public should lodge their claims or objections in person with the REO not later than 6pm on June 23 (Friday). 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 Home Affairs Enquiry Centres. 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(www.reo.gov.hk/en/voter/claims_and_objections.htm) before the hearing day.
 
     "The REO has issued reminding letters to those electors who have been listed 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.
 
     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 Home Affairs Enquiry Centre during its business hours from Mondays to Fridays. As regards the omissions lists for the geographical constituencies and the District Council (second) functional constituency, full copies are available for public inspection at the REO's office at the Harbour Centre in Wan Chai and all Home Affairs Enquiry Centres.
 
     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 office at the Harbour Centre 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 Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in Central, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin during their business hours from Mondays to Fridays.
 
     The REO's ordinary business hours are from 9am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays.
 
     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/Thursday, June 1, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:20

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