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77 electors (0.8%) had voted in the first hour of the Sha Tin District Council Kam Ying Constituency by-election, which started at 7.30am today (March 11) (the voter turnout figures are for temporary reference only).
Two polling stations - one at Ng Clan's Association Tai Pak Memorial School at Kam Ying Court, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin and the other at FDBWA Mrs Fung Ping Shan Primary School, 2 On Shing Street, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, are open until 10.30pm today for the constituency's more than 9,500 registered electors to cast their votes.
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee and commission members Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai will inspect the polling stations this morning.
The four candidates contesting the by-election are: No 1, Wong Huk Kam; No 2, Wong Shun Loy; No 3, Chan Ming Hung; and No 4, Tong Po Chun.
A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office urged electors to cast their votes as early as possible.
"Voting is very simple. It takes only a few minutes," he said.
"All a voter needs to do is to show his/her identity card at the polling station, and then use the chop provided to stamp the ballot paper with a tick in the circle opposite the candidate of his/her choice before putting it into the ballot box."
The two polling stations for the by-election will be converted into counting stations once the poll is closed. People are welcome to watch the counting of votes at the designated area outside the counting zone.
The results of the poll will be announced in the main counting station at Ng Clan's Association Tai Pak Memorial School.
An election hotline, 2891 1001, will operate until 11pm to answer enquiries about electoral matters, including the locations of the polling stations.
Another hotline, 2827 7251, will be in service until 10.30pm to handle complaints about breaches of electoral rules and guidelines.
Ends/Sunday, March 11, 2007
Issued at HKT 08:43
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