Hong Kong election committee polls set for 22 November across 31 sectors
Hong Kong's election committee will hold contested elections in 31 functional sectors on 22 November, while 259 candidates from five uncontested sectors have been automatically returned. The Electoral Affairs Commission will hold a briefing on 3 November to ensure a fair and transparent process.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on 30 October that voting for 31 contested functional sectors of the Election Committee will take place on 22 November. The sectors requiring a ballot include catering, commerce (first, second and third), the Employers' Federation, finance, financial services, hotels, import and export, industry (first and second), insurance, real estate and construction, small and medium enterprises, textiles and clothing, tourism, transport and logistics, wholesale and retail, accountancy, architecture and surveying, Chinese medicine, engineering, law, medical and health services, social welfare, technology and innovation, agriculture and fisheries, grassroots organisations, the Heung Yee Kuk, and representatives of district committees and crime-fighting committees in Kowloon and the New Territories.
In addition, 259 candidates from five uncontested sectors have been automatically elected. These sectors are education, sports and culture, rural and fraternal associations, labour, and representatives of national bodies in Hong Kong.
An Electoral Affairs Office spokesperson said that on polling day, five general polling stations will be set up, and a merged voting arrangement will apply. This means that if a voter in one sector is also an authorised representative of another sector, they can cast both ballots at the same station. Voting hours will be from 9am to 6pm.
The relevant gazette notice and candidate information have been uploaded to the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). The Electoral Affairs Commission will hold a candidate briefing on 3 November to help candidates familiarise themselves with election arrangements and regulations, ensuring that the election is conducted in an open, honest and fair manner. Representatives from the Electoral Affairs Office, the Department of Justice, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Hongkong Post will also attend.