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The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) uploaded the introduction to candidates of both the geographical constituencies (GCs) and the functional constituencies (FCs), as well as a set of mock ballot papers for the 2012 Legislative Council Election, to its dedicated website (www.elections.gov.hk) today (August 14) to help electors know the candidates and the ballot papers to prepare for the voting on September 9.
On the website, members of the public can view both the front and the back of mock ballot papers for GCs, the newly created District Council (second) functional constituency and the traditional FCs. There is description beside each sample on its special features, one of which is the numbering system for the candidate lists. The number for each GC candidate list is a one- or two-digit figure starting from 1, the numbers for the seven candidate lists for the District Council (second) functional constituency range from 801 to 807, and the number for each candidate for most of the traditional FCs is a one-digit figure.
The back of the ballot papers is also distinguished by patterns in different colours. The pattern on the back of the GC ballot paper is blue, the back of the District Council (second) functional constituency ballot paper is mainly white in colour and the pattern on the back of the traditional FC ballot paper is red. These correspond to the blue ballot box for GCs, the white ballot box for the District Council (second) functional constituency and the red ballot box for traditional FCs.
Of the 3,466,000-odd registered GC electors, about 3,220,000 electors can cast one vote each in their respective GC and the District Council (second) functional constituency. When voting, these electors should only choose one candidate list from each ballot paper and use the chop provided to stamp a tick in the circle next to the chosen list. They should then fold the ballot papers inward once before putting them in the appropriate ballot boxes.
The introduction to candidates of GCs and FCs is available on the website. Electors will also receive two booklets on candidates in their GC and FC by post within this month. In this election, about 90 per cent of the candidates have provided a text version of their introduction, as requested by the REO, for uploading to the election website to enable the visually impaired to know the content.
The REO will mail to every elector their poll card, which states where they should cast their votes, starting this week. All the electors are expected to receive it by the end of this month. In addition to the introduction to candidates, the mail includes a map indicating the location of the designated polling station and a voting procedure guide, as well as two publicity leaflets on the District Council (second) functional constituency and clean elections. Members of the public can also view the illustration on guidance on voting procedures on the election website.
For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.
Ends/Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:46
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