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44 electors (0.71%) voted in the Central and Western District Council Centre Street Constituency by-election in the first hour of polling, which started at 7.30am today (June 11) (the voter turnout figures are for temporary reference only).
The polling station, located at Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong Kau Yan Church and Kau Yan School, is open until 10.30pm today for the constituency's more than 6,100 registered electors to cast their votes.
The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, and member Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, will inspect the polling and counting station this morning.
The three candidates contesting the by-election are: No 1, Mr Wong Kin Shing (Nelson); No 2, Mr Leung Wing On, Louis; and No 3, Mr Lee Chi Hang, Sidney.
A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) urged electors to cast their votes as early as possible.
"Voting is very simple. It takes only a few minutes," he said.
"All a voter needs to do is to show his identity card at the polling station, and then use the chop provided to stamp the ballot paper with a tick in the circle opposite the candidate of his choice before putting it into the ballot box."
The polling station for the by-election will become a counting station once the poll is closed. Members of the public are welcome to watch the counting of votes at the designated area outside the counting zone.
The results of the poll will be announced in the counting station.
An election hotline, 2891 1001, will operate until 11pm to answer enquiries about electoral matters, including the location of the polling station.
Another hotline, 2827 7251, will be in service until 10.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Ends/Sunday, June 11, 2006
Issued at HKT 08:50
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