| SCA encourages qualified voters to take part in today's Election Committee subsector by-elections |
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Following is the transcript (English portion) of a standup briefing given by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, after he visited a polling station of the Election Committee subsector by-elections at South Horizons Neighbourhood Community Centre, Ap Lei Chau this morning (May 1):
SCA: Today is the by-elections for the vacancies in the 800-member Election Committee. We have 39 polling stations established around the territory to look after over 40,000 electors who are qualified to cast their votes in different sub-sectors. We very much hope that all those who are qualified to vote will take some time to come out today and visit the polling stations to make choice as to which representatives they would like to stand up (come forth) and be elected to represent their interests in the Election Committee. We would also like to report that within the first two hours of polling stations being opened, so far, up to 9.30 am, over 390 voters have cast their votes. The voter turnout rate is about 0.83 per cent. This broadly compares with the turnout rate in year 2000 when we were forming the Election Committee. At that time, the turnout rate within the first two hours was 1 per cent. I would like to emphasise that this election to fill vacancies in the Election Committee is important to the Hong Kong community and I would encourage all those who are qualified to vote to come out and take part in today's by-elections. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Sunday, May 1, 2005 |