Voters entering the polling station at Sai Wan Ho Sports Centre in Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong, Nov 24, 2019. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong has scheduled its seventh District Council Ordinary Election for Dec 10, setting the stage for the first District Council polls after the city made an array of reforms to its district-level governance in the aftermath of the social unrest of 2019. 

The elections for the District Committees constituency and the District Council geographical constituency will be held on Dec 10, with the nomination period for the polls running from Oct 17-30, a government spokesman said in a statement on Monday.

“The government will endeavor to ensure that the seventh-term District Councils will assume office on Jan 1, 2024, as scheduled … and ensure that the election will be open, fair, honest, and be safely and orderly conducted,” the spokesman said. 

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“The government also encourages individuals with talents and aspirations who are patriotic and have an affection for Hong Kong to serve the community by actively participating in the election,” the statement continued, adding it appeals to voters to exercise their civil rights by voting in the elections.

The Legislative Council earlier passed the District Councils (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, revising the formation of the councils. The legislative move came after the councils, which were tasked with carrying out advisory and services functions to facilitate the government’s district governance, were heavily criticized for having been exploited by anti-government forces for years to sabotage government administration.

Announcing the reform package in May, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said many council members failed to ensure councils were performing their roles as district advisory bodies, but instead engaged in activities that endangered national security by advocating separatism, condoning violence, and opposing the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

The new councils, according to the amendment, will be formed in four ways; namely, government appointment, indirect elections, direct elections, and ex officio membership. The total number of seats on the councils will be 470, slightly down from the previous 479 seats. Of those seats, 88 will be returned via the District Council geographical constituency. Another 176 members will be elected by members of Area Committees, District Crime Fighting Committees and District Fire Safety Committees via the District Committees constituency.

The government said the reform enables the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” to be fully implemented at the district governance level.

The seventh-term District Councils will strictly adhere to “the positioning under the Basic Law” to carry out advisory and services functions, duly contribute to district governance, and effectively respond to the expectations of the public, the government spokesman said.

The spokesman pointed out that apart from reforming the district councils, the government also further improved the city’s district governance system.

The Steering Committee and the Task Force on District Governance, which are led by Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki and his deputy, Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, respectively, were established to effectively implement policies and measures at the district level.

Electoral details, including the deadline and place for submission of nomination forms, will be announced by the chief electoral officer.

Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, a legislator and vice-chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, said his party is choosing candidates for the election, adding that those who are patriotic and ready to serve the needs of Hong Kong residents will be nominated.

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Lawmaker Nixie Lam said the reform has bettered the poll arrangement for District Councils, including merging the overly narrow geographic constituency into bigger ones so that district councilors can provide better services to local residents.

Brave Chan Yung, a legislator from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said he hopes this election can bring in district councilors who are truly dedicated to serving the public, implementing “patriots administering Hong Kong”, and can demonstrate the advantages of the improved electoral system.

Contact the writers at philiptubeza@chinadailyhk.com