01 Viewpoint
Hong Kong's third wave of epidemic erupted, and whether the Legislative Council election will be affected in September, it is also unknown.The institutional school called for post -elections, and the democratic school questioned it because of the election consideration.In other words, two weeks or a month after betting, it has not seen a significant impact on the election.For the authorities, it is more important to understand this non -ordinary administrative arrangement, and it is more related to the fair election.
The outside world generally believes that there are as many as 100,000 voters living in the Mainland, and most of them are supporters of the establishment. Therefore, the regulations on the 14th of the return to Hong Kong will combat the election situation.Tan Yaozong, member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stated on the radio program that many citizens live and work in the Greater Bay Area, and they may not return to Hong Kong to vote under the epidemic.
Overseas voters who do not distinguish between positions
However, it must be pointed out that regardless of their political stance, as long as the voters of the Legislative Council election, they have the right to vote on the election day.And voters abroad are not just in the Mainland, such as many people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc.In general, returning to Hong Kong is of course their responsibility.However, in the special circumstances of the raging epidemic, even if they intend to return to Hong Kong, they still have to face the requirements of the 14th isolation, which greatly increases their voting costs and crack down on their intention to vote.
In fact, from the call for voters to register to make publicity for the election day, the government's responsibility is to facilitate voting votes.Under the epidemic, the authorities should also have consistent thinking and find ways to facilitate voting these Hong Kong people abroad, not to resort to political computing.It is currently a method advocated by the main force of the system. Of course, it is a method, but the epidemic is unpredictable. It is not doubt whether the extension effectively solves the problem.
In fact, there have been at least two methods for convenient voting.One for mailing votes, the United States is used to it in common; one is a foreign ticket station, and many overseas citizens are France.Hong Kong has not been adopted in the past, or because the number of overseas voters is limited, it is not large.But now the special circumstances under the epidemic highlight the needs of this aspect.
Operation space under the current regulations
Although the current election management committee (election procedure) (Legislative Council) regulations are not allowed to mail voting, according to Article 7 of the Election Management Committee Regulations and Article 82 of the Legislative Council Regulations, the Election Management Committee or the Chief Executive is in conjunction with the Executive Council.You can set up new regulations to allow mailing votes and indicate the processing procedures for mailing votes, including the email must also be accompanied by a voter identity certificate for verification.Ticket stations invest in ticket boxes.
As for the setting of overseas ticket stations, there is already a certain basis under the current regulations.At present, voters in prison have special polling stations, and people with inconvenient actions have special voting stations. Overseas voters who cannot return to Hong Kong overseas should also vote at their special ticket stations.Election Management Committee (Election Procedure) (Legislative Council) Regulations Article 28 The Director of the General Election Affairs may specify any building or place as a voting station or a ticket station, and Article 78 of the Legislative Council Regulations also allow the election and management association to appoint an assistant assistantThe election director has the authority of the ticket station, so the election management will also set up ticket stations and appointment assistant election directors outside the overseas.Although there are still issues such as functional sectors to be sent to the Central Point Ticket Station in the order of ticketing, the election management committee or the Chief Executive, and the Chief Executive, can also establish new regulations for special restrictions on special offices.
For government officials, how to arrange voting may only be administrative issues.However, for democratic elections itself, facilitate voters to vote, and allowing everyone to express their willingness to express their willingness in their hands, it is related to the fair election.In this regard, the authorities have been blamed, and they cannot be viewed from the perspective of political vision or election.
