Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng yuet-ngor speaks to the media after voting at Raimondi College, Central, during the Legislative Council elections on Dec 19, 2021. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Top officials of the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region led the early morning crowd of voters in the 2021 Legislative Council General Election on Sunday – the first under the city’s revamped electoral system and the biggest LegCo poll ever held.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor cast her ballot at Raimondi College in Central shortly after polling opened at 8.30 am. She urged voters to fulfill their civic duties by voting for the candidates to ensure that patriots administer Hong Kong.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor cast her ballot at Raimondi College in Central shortly after polling opened at 8.30 am

Lam pledged that the government will do everything possible to see that the election is conducted smoothly and can be “fair, open, just, clean, efficient and humane”.

It is a vote of confidence for the improved electoral system and the future of the HKSAR, and will pave the way for Hong Kong's long-term peace and stability, Lam said.

When answering a question from Xinhua regarding her feelings about the Sunday election, Lam first recalled the District Council election two years ago when she and her husband went to vote at the same polling station, a time that Hong Kong was rattled by violence, candidates' offices were sabotaged, and voters feared for their personal safety.

In comparison, all polling stations and public transport in Hong Kong are peaceful and running smoothly on Sunday, a situation that is more than encouraging, she said.

As the chief executive, Lam said she and her colleagues will cooperate fully with the newly-elected LegCo members and listen to their views, so as to better reflect public opinion in administration and create a better future for Hong Kong.

The election adopted new technologies including an electronic poll register system and tailored voting arrangements for the elderly, the pregnant and other voter groups, Lam said.

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Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu said he hoped the new legislators will do things that are practical and meet Hong Kong’s interests. 

Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu casts his vote in the 2021 Legislative Council General Election at Yaumati Kaifong Association School on Dec 19, 2021. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

“They will monitor the work of the government and try to solve local issues through friendly interaction with the government,” Lee said after casting his vote at the Yaumati Kaifong Association School.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said: “The candidates fully reflect the principle of broad representation, diversity, inclusiveness and balanced participation by political parties, the labor sector, business leaders and grassroots representatives. This will enable the government to consider the views of various sectors in policy-making to facilitate good governance.”

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Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po votes in the 2021 Legislative Council General Election at South Island School on Dec 19, 2021. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Other key SAR government officials who cast their votes in the morning included Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun and Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan.

 Various public transport operators including the Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited, franchised bus operators, and Hong Kong Tramways provide free rides for the public on the polling day.

The election for the seventh-term LegCo of th HKSAR kicked off Sunday morning, the first since the improvement to the HKSAR electoral system.

More than 600 polling stations opened at 8:30 am local time across Hong Kong for about 4.5 million registered electors to cast their votes.

With Xinhua inputs