The 2023 District Council Ordinary Election will be held this Sunday (December 10). The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) today (December 7) called on electors to actively participate in the election and elect the District Council members they prefer and trust who will represent them to build a better community. At the same time, the REO reminds electors again on the following points to note when they cast their votes:
 
(1) Electors should check carefully the allocated polling station as specified on the poll card received, which is attached with a detailed location map of the polling station, and vote at the relevant polling station on the polling day (except for electors registered to vote at Near Boundary Polling Stations). Electors who have not yet received their poll card should contact the REO as soon as possible at 2891 1001 for details;
 
(2) Electors are required to vote during the polling hours. Polling hours for District Council geographical constituencies (DCGCs) and District Committees constituencies are from 8.30am to 10.30pm and from 8.30am to 2.30pm respectively. Electors will not be allowed to vote after the polling hours. Dedicated polling stations have different specified polling hours;
 
(3) When casting votes, electors must bring the original of their Hong Kong identity card or other recognised proof of identity (see Annex for details) to facilitate the verification of their identity by the staff for issuing ballot papers; and
 
(4) DCGC electors must pay particular attention that they can only vote for one candidate (to stamp only one tick in the designated circle opposite the name of the preferred candidate), otherwise the ballot paper will be deemed as invalid.
 
     In addition, the REO pointed out that according to the existing provisions in the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO), it is an offence to engage in the illegal conduct of inciting another person not to vote, or to cast an invalid vote (including casting a blank vote), by activity in public during the election period. Upon conviction, the offence warrants a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment and a fine of $200,000. The ECICO has an extraterritorial effect. Law enforcement agencies will strictly enforce the law and bring offenders to justice even if the offence takes place outside Hong Kong. As such, members of the public must strictly abide by the law to prevent themselves from falling afoul of the law inadvertently, so that the election can be conducted in a fair, just and clean manner.

Ends/Thursday, December 7, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:09

NNNN