LegCo Election
I. IntroductionUnder the Basic Law, the Legislative Council is the legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The powers and functions that the Legislative Council is to exercise are specified in Article 73 of the Basic Law. They include:
(a) to enact laws;
(b) to examine and approve budgets, taxation and public expenditure;
(c) to receive and debate the policy addresses of the Chief Executive;
(d) to raise questions on the work of the government;
(e) to debate issues concerning public interests; and
(f) to receive and handle complaints from Hong Kong residents.
II. Composition of the Legislative Council
Pursuant to the Annex II to Basic Law amended by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on 30 March 2021, the Legislative Council shall be composed of 90 members, 40 members returned by the Election Committee, 30 members returned by functional constituencies and 20 members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections. For more details on the method for the formation of Legislative Council, please click here to visit the relevant website.
The seventh-term of office of the Legislative Council began on 1 January 2022. The term of office is four years until 31 December 2025. The President of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among the council’s members.
III. The Seventh Term Legislative Council General Election
Election to the seventh term Legislative Council was held on 19 December 2021. Being the first LegCo general election under the improved electoral system, the election fully complied with the principle of “One Country, Two Systems” and accorded with the actual situation in Hong Kong, expounding the characteristics of broad representation, fair competition, political inclusiveness and balanced participation.
A total of 153 candidates signed up for the poll. Of these, 35 competed for the 20 geographical constituency seats, 67 for the 30 functional constituency seats, and 51 for the 40 Election Committee constituency seats.
On the polling day, 1.35 million electors cast their votes to return 90 Members from the 153 candidates of different background and different political spectrum. The number of voters who cast their votes and the respective turnout rates are set out below:
i) Geographical constituencies
Number of voters: 1,350,680
Turnout Rate: 30.20%
ii) Functional constituencies
Number of voters: 70,490
Turnout Rate: 32.22%
iii) Election Committee constituency
Number of voters: 1,426
Turnout Rate: 98.48%
For more details on the Seventh Term Legislative Council General Election, please click here to visit the relevant website.
IV. 2022 Legislative Council Election Committee Constituency (ECC) By-election
The 2022 Legislative Council Election Committee Constituency By-election was held on 18 December 2022 to fill vacancies. 1,307 Election Committee members voted at the by-election and the voter turnout rate was over 90%. Four Legislative Council ECC members were successfully elected amongst six candidates from diverse backgrounds and strata, which exemplifies the broad representation, political inclusiveness, balanced participation and fair competition of the new electoral system.
For more details on the by-election, please click here to visit the relevant website.