The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, said after his visit to the Central Counting Station at the AsiaWorld-Expo on Lantau Island today (September 3) that most of the preparatory work for the 2016 Legislative Council General Election is nearing completion and that staff members would continue their work to ensure that the poll and vote count tomorrow (September 4) would be carried out smoothly.
 
     He thanked colleagues for their hard work and appealed to registered electors to vote tomorrow.
 
     "As in the 2012 Legislative Council Election, the 'one-person-two-votes' arrangement will continue to be implemented in the forthcoming election. Of the about 3,780,000 registered geographical constituency electors, about 3,470,000 electors can cast one vote each in their respective geographical constituency (GC) and the District Council (second) functional constituency," he said.
 
     "Voting is simple. All electors need to do is to bring their identity document to the designated polling station specified on their poll card, where they will be issued a ballot paper for the GC and a ballot paper for the functional constituency (FC). The GC and District Council (second) functional constituency ballot papers will be pre-folded inward once along the dotted line by the polling staff at the ballot paper issuing desk before they are issued to electors. Electors must use the chop provided by the polling stations to stamp the ballot papers with a 'tick' in the circle opposite the chosen candidate list. They should then fold the ballot papers inward once along the dotted line before putting the GC ballot paper into the blue ballot box and District Council (second) functional constituency ballot paper into the white ballot box. There is no need to fold the ballot paper for traditional FC. The pattern on the back of the traditional FC ballot paper is red and the ballot paper should be put into the red ballot box," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
     "Electors can log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (OVIES) (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) if they have not yet received their poll card to check whether they are registered electors and their designated polling station. They can also call the election hotline 2891 1001 for enquiries," he said.
 
     He reminded electors to observe the arrangements of the polling station, obey the order of the Presiding Officer and vote orderly in accordance with the voting procedures. It is an offence for any person to disturb others, disrupt the poll or misbehave in the polling station. The offender is liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment of up to three months. The Returning Officer or Presiding Officer may order the person to leave the polling station immediately and seek the assistance of the Police if necessary.
 
     Mr Justice Fung also introduced the arrangements for the vote count.
 
     "Once the poll closes, most polling stations will be converted into counting stations for the GC votes. Ballot boxes for all functional constituencies, including the District Council (second) functional constituency, will be delivered to the Central Counting Station where the counting of votes will take place," he said.
 
     "We have arranged sufficient manpower to ensure the efficient management of the polling stations and the counting process.
 
     "In this election, about 24,000 staff members will participate in the polling and counting work, of which about 4,000 will help with the vote count for traditional FC and District Council (second) functional constituency at the Central Counting Station. Different training programmes were provided for staff members working in different fields in recent months," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
     In addition to the Central Counting Station, there is also a media centre at the AsiaWorld-Expo, where all the election results will be announced by the Returning Officers. A public gallery will be set up for members of the public to watch the announcement of results at the media centre. In view of the limited seating capacity, admission to the public gallery will be arranged on a first come, first served basis from 11pm on September 4. To facilitate admission control, members of the public admitted to the venue will be required to wear a wristband provided by the REO for identification purpose.
 
     For enquiries, please call the election hotline on 2891 1001.

Ends/Saturday, September 3, 2016
Issued at HKT 13:58

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